About Asthma and COPD

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease of the airways or bronchial tubes in your lungs. When something happens that sets off or triggers an asthma attack, your airways become inflamed and swollen and the muscles around your airways tighten (bronchospasm). In addition, mucus production is stimulated, further obstructing the airways. The result of airway inflammation and bronchospasm is that patients develop coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. In some cases, breathing may be so difficult that the asthma attack becomes life-threatening. In addition, some people have asthma that is caused by exercise; this is called exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB).

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that also involves airway obstruction. Like asthma, patients with COPD have airway inflammation, bronchospasm and increased mucus production. They also have similar symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. COPD is caused by damage to the lungs over many years, usually from smoking. COPD is often a combination of two diseases:

• Chronic Bronchitis: This happens when the bronchial tubes that carry air to your lungs get inflamed and make a lot of mucus. This can narrow or block the airways, making it hard for you to breathe.
• Emphysema: The tiny air sacs in the lungs are like balloons. As air moves into and out of your lungs as you breathe in and out, these sacs get bigger and smaller. But with emphysema, these air sacs are damaged and become stretched. Like old balloons, they actually get overstretched and break down. Old air gets trapped in the air sacs, so there’s no room for new air to get in which makes you feel short of breath.

What Treatments are Available?

Asthma medications are categorized into two general classes, relievers and controllers. Patients who have persistent asthma should be prescribed both classes of medication for optimal asthma management.

• Long-term controller medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), are the preferred treatment option for the long-term therapy of persistent asthma in children and adults. ICS should be taken daily to prevent symptoms by reducing airway inflammation.
• Quick-relief medications such as inhaled short-acting beta agonists (SABA) like albuterol, relax smooth airway muscles and relieve bronchospasm. They should be taken as needed to treat acute symptoms and exacerbations. To learn more about a SABA designed to offer advantages to patients, such as long expiration dating, click here.
• Patients should work with their healthcare providers to identify the asthma treatment plan that is right for them and learn how to properly use both controller and rescue inhalers.
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