Asthma vs COPD (What are the similarities and differences?)

Asthma vs COPD (What are the similarities and differences?)

Asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)  are health conditions that both affect the respiratory system, but what are their similarities and differences? In this article, we’ll take a look at what separates these health problems. 

What you need to know about Asthma and COPD:

• COPD is a progressive disease associated with smoking. Whereas asthma is an inflammatory problem whose direct causes are unknown. 
• They both share similar symptoms – including breathlessness, wheezing, and chest tightness. This can sometimes interfere with the diagnosis of these conditions.
• These conditions can both have severe effects on the overall quality of life of the sufferers, but asthma can be managed. 
• COPD is often treated with bronchodilators, asthma involves treatment with short-term “relief” inhalers and preventive inhalers that contain corticosteroids.
• COPD is usually developed in people over 40. Asthma can affect anyone of any age. 

What is COPD? 

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is a lung disease caused by interference of airflow (usually due to smoking) that eventually leads to impaired breathing. This condition is not fully reversible and symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, and increasing intolerance to exercise. 

What is Asthma? 

Asthma is a condition due to inflammation of the airways and its exact causes are not known. Asthma can cause similar symptoms to COPD, like shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing. Rather than being a chronic and progressive disease, asthma usually has certain “triggers.” 

Treatment and management of COPD and Asthma

COPD is usually treated with bronchodilators and lifestyle changes – the biggest of which is to stop smoking. Depending on how severe the condition is, COPD may also require oxygen therapy. Your doctor will monitor your condition closely and adjust treatment as needed. 

Asthma has slightly different treatment and care, this condition can be managed with long-term preventative inhalers and short-term reliever inhalers. The preventative inhalers will help to control inflammation and the relief inhalers can help with asthma attacks or when symptoms of asthma begin to flare up more acutely. 

Asthma and COPD prognosis

Generally speaking, most sufferers of asthma can control and manage their condition with medication and by learning what triggers symptoms (although this can take time). 

COPD on the other hand depends entirely on the patient and how severe their condition is. Your doctor will monitor you closely and be able to evaluate how your condition is progressing.