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
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