The difference between COPD and Asthma

There is often confusion in discriminating between these 2 conditions. This is important, as there are major differences in the treatment algorithms, disease progression and drugs to treat these common conditions. It is also important to recognise that because these conditions are common they can often co exist together. The important rule to remember is that COPD is an obstructive airways disease that is not wholly reversible, but in the majority of asthmatic patients it is possible to achieve full reversibility.

Asthma is an airways disease primary allergic in origin and so the main cell involved in the inflammation is the eosinophil but others also play a part, such as T-cells. For most of the time patients with asthma have symptoms that are well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and their symptoms do not significantly impact on their daily activities. Asthmatic patients tend to have chest disease in their childhood and have an atopic phenotype.

But even knowing these basic rules patients often do not fit neatly in a category. To help we ask our patients a few basic questions to help with the differential and then follow this with investigations.

Questions and Answers

Once these questions have been answered then we can confirm the diagnosis with investigations.