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Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Differential Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing may be caused by conditions other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of COPD. These conditions include:
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis - chronic wideding of the bronchial tubes that can lead to respiatory tract infections and make it very difficult for the patient to breathe
- Congestive heart failure
- Interstitial lung disease - scarring of the lung tissue or the lining of the air sacs that results in breathing difficulty
- Lung infections (e.g., pneumonia; tuberculosis)
