XNB360 Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Metabolic Disorders

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit develops key clinical knowledge required for exercise physiology practice. This unit specifically focuses on cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic disorders, including their epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, diagnostic and assessment procedures, and treatments. By identifying the underlying mechanisms that affect movement capacity, you will learn how and why these disorders respond to movement, exercise, and physical activity. You will be required to describe the aetiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, diagnostic and assessment procedures and treatments and medications associated with cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic disorders.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe the aetiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical course, at a level that allows you to work with other health professionals in the assessment and provision of exercise and activity suitable for people with cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic conditions.
2. Describe the diagnostic and assessment procedures, treatments and medications, at a level that allows you to work with other health professionals in the assessment and provision of exercise and activity suitable for people with cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic conditions.
3. Analyse client information and make informed judgments to appropriately risk stratify an individual for exercise and activity.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit adopts a blended approach to learning. The unit will make extensive use of web-based resources including video recordings and assessment procedures commonly used with each specific disorder. Where possible, learning content will include invited speakers, other health professionals and patients, to provide their perspectives on the implications of the disorders for movement, exercise and activity. Tutorials will focus on case scenarios that allow you to deepen your understanding of each condition and gain an awareness of the cultural diversity of a condition and its normal clinical course.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback on your performance in assessment tasks will be provided through verbal feedback in class and written feedback on an individual basis or group basis as required for each assessment.

Assessment

Overview

This unit will be delivered across a 13 week semester. Assessment items are designed to measure your knowledge and mastery of professional skills stated in the learning outcomes.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Clinical Case Study

You are required to undertake the initial steps in constructing an exercise management plan for a client with a chronic disorder presented in the unit. Content to be encompassed in the case scenario includes defining specific conditions and pathologies associated with the disorder, defining causes of the disorder, explanation of the pathophysiological diagnosis and treatment of the disorder, common co-morbidities, explore common medications and implications of the medications for exercise, and complete a risk stratification processes involved in the design of a safe and effective exercise program based on the above information and scientific evidence. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Final Examination

You will be evaluated on your knowledge and analysis of information presented throughout the unit and will include complex disease scenarios. This assessment will use short answer, multiple-choice and case scenario format. 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Course Learning Outcomes

XN51 Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology

1. Design and deliver exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of individuals and populations across the full health spectrum.
   Relates to: Clinical Case Study
2. Apply problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical reasoning to implement, analyse and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
   Relates to: Clinical Case Study, Final Examination