Which condition is often misdiagnosed and can mimic asthma symptoms?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is often misdiagnosed as asthma because it can produce symptoms that closely resemble those of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. In some patients, the acid that refluxes into the esophagus can irritate the respiratory tract and trigger bronchospasm, leading to respiratory symptoms that may be mistaken for asthma.

This overlap can occur particularly when individuals experience coughing or wheezing during the night or after meals. Because asthma is characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity and inflammation, the symptoms of GERD can be misconstrued as an exacerbation of asthma.

In contrast, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and allergic rhinitis can also present with respiratory symptoms, they do not typically mimic the classic presentation of asthma as closely as GERD. COPD primarily presents with a chronic cough and sputum production but is a distinct condition with different pathophysiology. Pneumonia usually has acute onset and is associated with fever and systemic illness, while allergic rhinitis is characterized more by nasal symptoms and does not typically include wheezing as a primary feature. Thus, GERD stands out as a condition that can masquerade as asthma.