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Review
. 2020 Feb;43(1):7-11.
doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2020.002. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Managing the overlap of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Anne Knight  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Managing the overlap of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Anne Knight. Aust Prescr. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Approximately 20% of patients with obstructive lung disease have features of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease These patients have a higher burden of disease and increased exacerbations compared to those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease alone Management should address dominant clinical features in each individual patient, and comorbidities should be considered There are several interventions that are useful in the management of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease As inhaled corticosteroids are key to the management of asthma, they are recommended in patients with overlapping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Keywords: COPD; asthma; bronchodilators; corticosteroids; eosinophils; inhalers; obstructive lung disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: none declared

Figures

Fig
Fig
Examples of typical spirometry tracings in asthma, COPD and asthma–COPD overlap
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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FURTHER READING

    1. Jenkins C. Drugs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Aust Prescr 2017;40:15-9. 10.18773/austprescr.2017.003 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Reddel HK, Lembke K, Zwar NJ. The cost of asthma medicines. Aust Prescr 2018;41:34-6. 10.18773/austprescr.2018.011 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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