ABSTRACT
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are both acute events characterized by a progressive increase in respiratory symptoms often in response to external precipitants. 1,2 Patients with features of both asthma and COPD (asthma-COPD overlap [ACO]) also experience exacerbations. 3 These acute events result in visits to health professionals, school and work absenteeism, impairment of quality of life (QoL), emergency room (ER) visits, hospital admissions, and significant costs to the health-care system throughout the developed world. 4–6
