Symptomatic Differences Between Asthma & COPD
Both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic diseases that affect the bronchial passageways. There are two types of COPD: one that occurs as a result of a viral infection (bronchitis) and the other caused by the lung disease emphysema. Both asthma and COPD can be treated with prescription bronchodilators---fast-acting inhalers that open the inflamed bronchial passages.
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About Asthma & COPD
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Asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and occurs primarily in childhood and adolescence. COPD, a degenerative disease caused by environmental factors and smoking, occurs primarily in adults 40 and over. Both diseases are chronic and have similar symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.
Symptoms
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Both asthma and COPD are triggered by environmental factors, such as smoking, heat, dust, chemicals; asthma also can be triggered by emotional and psychological issues. For example, stress or anxiety will cause an asthmatic's symptoms to worsen and can bring on an attack just as easily as coming into contact with an environmental trigger. COPD symptoms are solely limited to external triggers.
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Symptoms
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The biggest difference between asthma and COPD with regard to symptoms is that asthma fluctuates daily (one day can be symptom free while another symptoms flare on another). COPD does not fluctuate. Symptoms progress with age and exposure to external environmental factors, such as smoke and dust.
Treatment
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Asthma is treated more successfully with preventative medications (timed medication taken daily to prevent symptoms from occurring). Advair Diskus is the most prescribed medication for the prevention of asthma symptoms (taken twice daily). COPD treatment works better when the symptoms are treated as they appear (usually with a fast-acting bronchodilator inhaler such as Albeuterol). Albuterol (which works within minutes) is also prescribed to asthma sufferers as a relief medication at the onset of an attack.
Misdiagnosis
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75 percent of primary care physicians report that they prescribe the same medications for the treatment of asthma and COPD, even though COPD does not respond as well to preventative medications as a bronchodilator like Albeuterol. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
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