What is the relationship between asthma and emphysema

Asthma and emphysema are two different respiratory diseases. There is some association between them, but not a direct causal relationship.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the airways, causing them to overreact to various stimuli, with symptoms such as airway constriction, inflammation, and increased mucus secretion. Emphysema is a pathological condition in which the accumulation of air in the lungs leads to the destruction of lung tissue. It is usually associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which may be caused by factors such as long-term smoking.

Although asthma and emphysema are not the same disease, if asthma and emphysema are not effectively treated and managed, long-term airway inflammation may lead to a progressive decline in airway remodeling and lung function, increasing the risk of developing emphysema or COPD. In addition, asthma and COPD may be similar in some symptoms, such as cough and asthma, so detailed differential diagnosis is sometimes required.