SMOKING over a long term is the number one cause of COPD (while asthma occurs in non-smokers as well as smokers). Other irritants can also cause COPD. These include cigar smoke, secondhand smoke, and air pollution. You may also be at risk if the air you breathe at work contains an excessive amount of dust, fumes, smoke, gases, vapors, or mists. Workers who smoke are at a much greater risk if they are exposed to substances in the workplace that can cause COPD.
How does COPD differ from asthma?
ALTHOUGH COPD and asthma have similar characteristics such as the signs of coughing and wheezing, they are two distinct conditions in terms of disease onset, frequency of symptoms, and reversibility of airway obstruction. However, when your doctor takes into account all of the relevant information, including your symptoms and medical history as well as the results from medical tests, he or she can help you determine which of these two common illnesses you have.
- Asthma typically starts during childhood or adolescence whereas COPD most often develops in smokers and former smokers who are in their mid-40s or older
- Asthmatic episodes are usually characterized by recurrent wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough, and often have identifiable triggers such as allergens, cold air or exercise. In contrast episodes of increased breathlessness in COPD patients are commonly caused by respiratory track infections.
- Asthmatic attacks are mostly completely reversible with the use of rescue or reliever medicines (which may include the use of oxygen also during severe attacks) whereas increase in severity of symptoms in COPD patients is only partially relieved
- Asthma patients have near-normal lung function and are symptom-free between asthmatic episodes. A large percentage of asthmatic patients remain symptom-free without any controller medications during certain months of the year. COPD sufferers on the other hand do not have a seasonal pattern and rarely experience a day without symptoms. Most asthmatics can continue to maintain normal breathing with the help of medicines but this is not so with COPD patients
- Appropriate treatments for asthma and COPD differ. The first-line maintenance therapy for most patients with asthma is an inhaled steroid, with the addition of a bronchodilator if needed to control symptoms. However, the reverse is true for the treatment of COPD. Bronchodilators are the first-line maintenance treatment for COPD. Treatment with inhaled steroids is reserved only for selected patients whose COPD is not adequately managed with bronchodilators.