COPD

Question 1

What is COPD?

Answer 1

The disease state by which airflow is limited and is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive, and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles..

Question 2

What are the diagnostic differences between asthma and COPD?

Answer 2

COPD: symptoms are slowly progressive; long smoking history; dyspnoea during exercise; onset mid life; largely irreversible
Asthma: early onset; day to day variations in symptoms; allergy also present; fam history; reversible largely

Question 3

What difffers in COPD and asthma at a cellular level?

Answer 3

COPD: Alveolar macrophages and epithelium stimulate CD8 T cells and neutrophils to destroy smaller airways plus alveolar destruction.
Asthma: Epithelium and mast cells stimulate CD4 T cells and eosinophils to cause bronchoconstriction.