Sun, March 30, 2025
Sat, March 29, 2025
Fri, March 28, 2025
Thu, March 27, 2025

What's the Difference Between Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

  Copy link into your clipboard //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. -chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd.html
  Print publication without navigation Published in Health and Fitness on by Health
          🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic respiratory (lung) diseases that cause breathing difficulty and coughing. Asthma affects about 28 million people in the United States.
The article from MSN discusses the differences between asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Asthma is characterized by intermittent airway inflammation and narrowing, often triggered by allergens or irritants, leading to reversible airflow obstruction. It typically starts in childhood but can occur at any age. Conversely, COPD is a progressive condition primarily caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particulate matter, most often from cigarette smoke, leading to irreversible lung damage. COPD includes conditions like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, where the airways and air sacs lose their elasticity, and there's an increase in mucus production, obstructing airflow. While asthma can be controlled with medications to manage symptoms, COPD management focuses on slowing disease progression and improving quality of life, with treatments like bronchodilators, steroids, and lifestyle changes. The article also notes that some individuals might have both conditions, known as asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS), which complicates diagnosis and treatment.

Read the Full Health Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/diseases-and-conditions/what-s-the-difference-between-asthma-and-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/ar-AA1BPxaI ]