An experienced pulmonologist, Dr. Alex Lechin graduated with a medical degree from the Central University of Venezuela (Universidad Central de Venezuela) in Caracas. For over 25 years, Dr. Alex Lechin has directed the Texas Institute of Chest and Sleep Disorders in Houston, Texas. He also specializes in pulmonary medicine and sleep medicine and has interests in the clinical research of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
While both asthma and COPD are lung diseases characterized by swelling in the airways which result in breathing difficulty, their differences can be defined by cause or trigger. In an asthmatic patient, the lung swelling is triggered by an allergic reaction to physical activity or certain substances like pollen. COPD, on the other hand, is not triggered by an external stimulus. Rather, the swelling is a complication of irritation or damage to lung tissues, and the symptoms persist for a longer duration of time compared to asthma which is triggered occasionally.
It is possible for a patient to have both COPD and asthma at the same time. Sometimes, doctors refer to this condition as asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). While the exact cause of this is not understood yet, ACO may be more serious than either of the two conditions, making the initiation of treatment very important. Treatments focus on slowing down the progress of the disease while also mitigating effects.
While both asthma and COPD are lung diseases characterized by swelling in the airways which result in breathing difficulty, their differences can be defined by cause or trigger. In an asthmatic patient, the lung swelling is triggered by an allergic reaction to physical activity or certain substances like pollen. COPD, on the other hand, is not triggered by an external stimulus. Rather, the swelling is a complication of irritation or damage to lung tissues, and the symptoms persist for a longer duration of time compared to asthma which is triggered occasionally.
It is possible for a patient to have both COPD and asthma at the same time. Sometimes, doctors refer to this condition as asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). While the exact cause of this is not understood yet, ACO may be more serious than either of the two conditions, making the initiation of treatment very important. Treatments focus on slowing down the progress of the disease while also mitigating effects.
