Can these conditions coexist?

[epec]

My mother has a history of COPD. After exposure at work to a checmical several years ago, she was diagnosed as having OA (Occ. Asthma). Then another doctor told her she had RAD (Reactive Airway). Recently, yet another doctor told her she can't have either one of these with a pre-existing condition of COPD. We are a little confused. What are your thoughts? Thanks.

[National Jewish]

Your mother can have all three of these conditions.

Reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS) refers to the sudden development of asthma following an insult to the lung.  This insult could be an acute intense work-related exposure like your mother’s exposure at work to a chemical.  RADS may also be called occupational asthma (OA).

Reactive Airway Disease (RAD) is another term for asthma.  This term is used in two situations.  When the problem is not clearly asthma.  An example would be when a child has not reached school age so he or she is too young to be tested for asthma.  RAD may also refer to the reversible portion of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).  Sometimes this is referred to as the asthmatic portion of COPD.  How much better your mother’s breathing gets after she uses her inhaled bronchodilator medicine is her reversibility.

More important than the labels are the severity of her total lung disease and the potential reversibility of her airway obstruction.

[RTFLY]

The diagnosis of Occupational Asthma and Reactive Airway Disease are pretty much one in the same. Something at work causes her asthma, or her "reactive airways". Reactive Airway Disease is asthma. COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. There are five diseases that are listed as COPD. They are: Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Bronchiectasis. If your mother was diagnosed with COPD, when was she diagnosed? Just curious what the doctor saw when he/she diagnosed your mother. Is your mom a smoker? Hope that clears the air for you.
                                                     JCI RRT RCP