Asthma vs COPD

Question 1

T or F- Asthma mainly occurs in children and COPD mainly occurs in older adults

Answer 1

TRUE

Asthma- most often associated with onset furing childhood and is common in those with a family history of atopy or asthma

Symptoms typically increase wit hexposure to allergen or triggers

In some cases asthma symptoms disappear after childhood

COPD extremely rare in childhood, climbs w age

Question 2

Symptoms of asthma and COPD are indistinguishable

Answer 2

Both present with the symptoms of:

Cough

Sputum

Wheeze

Breathlessness

COPD. Asthma

Smoker. Nearly all. Possibly

Symptoms u35. Rare. Often

Family Hx. Uncommon. Common

Chronic prod. sputum. Common. Uncommon

Breathlessness. Persistent + progres. Variable

Nocturnal waking w wheeze uncommon. Common

Day to day variability. Uncommon. Common

Question 3

Asthma and COPD are both caused by smoking

Answer 3

COPD is casued by smoking but also:

Indoor air pollution + passive smoke exposure + occupational + genetic

Risk factors for COPD include:

Low birth weight + low socioeconomic status + childhood infection + asthma

Development of asthma:

Onherited genetic susceptibility+ environmental factors that trigger epigenetics

Smoking can exacerbate but not cause

Question 4

Is it possible to tell asthma and COPD apart by CXR

Answer 4

CXR in asthma is most often unremarkable (might be slight hyperinflation)

In COPD hyperinflation is much more common (involves loss of convexity of the hemidiaphragm)

CT is more useful. Emphysema shows lung as black

Question 5

The predominant inflammatory cell type in both asthma and COPD is eosinophils

Answer 5

False

Asthma- eosinophil

COPD- neutrophilic

Question 6

Neutrophilic asthma

Answer 6

very rare and persistent, with frequent exacerbations and characterised by fixed airway obstruction

Question 7

Pulmonary function.

Obstructive spirometry typifies COPD

Answer 7

yes. Lungs empty slower with <70% of total lung volume being exhaled within thre first second.

The characteristic feature of both diseases is airway obstruction.

In asthma- obst. results from constrictino of bronchiole muscles and mucous hypersecretion + mucosal infiltrate by inflammatory cells – alveolar damage

In COPD-

obstruction is associated mainly with mucous hypersecretion and mucosal infiltration by inflammatory cells, leading to cellular damage and the loss of alveolar structure.

Cellular destruction and structural changes associated with COPD interfere with oxygenation and pulmonary circulation.

Question 8

Inhaled steroids are first line treatment

Answer 8

Many similar drugs are used in both: SABA, LABA, LAMA, steroids

Combination therapy used much earlier in COPD

Question 9

You can have asthma and COPD

Answer 9

true

Some patients will have both

ACOS- asthma COPD overlap syndrome

Due to genetics, environment and early life influences some patients will get asthma, COPD or ACOS