Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two different types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or simply COPD. This is an umbrella term for lung conditions that affect an individual’s ability to breathe, the most common of which are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The main difference between them lies in how each condition affects the lungs. Chronic bronchitis mainly affects the airways or cilia, while emphysema mainly affects the air sacs or alveoli. In practice, this means that sufferers of chronic bronchitis experience long-term inflammation of the lungs, whereas sufferers of emphysema experience swelling and deterioration of the lungs.
In terms of symptoms, shortness of breath and fatigue are characteristic of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema. That said, shortness of breath is far less common for sufferers of chronic bronchitis. Rather, excess mucus production, fever, and cough are the main symptoms of chronic bronchitis. This is because the body’s natural reaction is to clear the air passages, which results in a severe cough. In contrast, difficulty performing tasks that require concentration, feeling mentally foggy, experiencing a constant struggle to breathe, and blue or gray fingernails are symptoms specific to emphysema. Another difference is that with chronic bronchitis, symptoms often fluctuate over time.
Moving onto causes, most cases of chronic bronchitis and emphysema develop as a result of cigarette smoking. Other causes and risk factors include asthma, genetics, age, and long-term exposure to lung irritants. That is, individuals with a family history of COPD are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis or emphysema due to an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. As for age, most people who develop either type of COPD experience an onset of symptoms after the age of 40. Lung irritants that can lead to chronic bronchitis and emphysema range from air pollution and secondhand smoke to dust and chemical fumes. In addition, chronic bronchitis can cause emphysema, and emphysema can cause chronic bronchitis.
Looking at the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 8.9 million Americans were diagnosed with chronic bronchitis in 2016, compared to 3.5 million Americans who were diagnosed with emphysema. Moreover, 75% of the chronic bronchitis cases involved individuals above the age of 45, whereas 90% of the emphysema cases involved individuals above the age of 45. There are also some differences in gender and race between the two conditions. Chronic bronchitis affects nearly twice as many women as men, while emphysema affects slightly more men than women. As for race, black people and non-Hispanic white people are more likely to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis.
There is no cure for either chronic bronchitis or emphysema, but there are a number of treatment options to manage symptoms. Common treatments for COPD include inhaled steroids, bronchodilators, antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Bronchodilators are a type of medication that relaxes the muscles in the lungs and ease coughing, which makes it easier to breathe. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program where sufferers of COPD learn techniques to help them breathe more effectively. In severe cases of emphysema, surgery may be recommended as well to improve breathing. Chronic bronchitis is reversible in its early stages, while emphysema is irreversible.