respiratory

Asthma vs COPD: Ventilator Strategy

Obstructive Lung Disease

Asthma vs COPD: Ventilator Strategy
Feature	Severe Asthma (MV)	Severe COPD Exacerbation (MV)
Mechanism
I:E Ratio	1:3–1:4+ (maximize expiratory time)	1:2–1:3
External PEEP Strategy	Low or no external PEEP (muscle overinflation risk)	Cautiously titrated external PEEP in flow-limited, triggering COPD; often kept below intrinsic PEEP (≈70–80% is a heuristic, not a universal target)
Key Differences	Auto-PEEP can be substantial in severe asthma; applied PEEP response is less predictable than in flow-limited COPD	Has baseline chronic gas trapping

Comparing: Severe Asthma (MV)

1:3–1:4+ (maximize expiratory time)

Low or no external PEEP (muscle overinflation risk)

Auto-PEEP can be substantial in severe asthma; applied PEEP response is less predictable than in flow-limited COPD

For healthcare-professional education. Clinical decisions require patient-specific assessment and local protocols.