Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentControversy
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Controversy
RAD is not a formal diagnosis but a term that may be used as a placeholder when investigating conditions that causewheezingandshortness of breath, such as asthma orchronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This article describes the symptoms that fall under the umbrella of reactive airway disease. It also explains the possible causes of RAD and how those conditions are diagnosed and treated.
Verywell / Katie Kerpel
What Are the Symptoms of Reactive Airway Disease?
As the definition evolved over time, a person could be said to have RAD if they were exposed to an inhaled substance and experienced:
The lack of a clear definition has led some to call for the abandonment of the term altogether.
Medical ConsensusThe American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) has labeled the term RAD “imprecise” and “lazy,” arguing that it suggests a diagnosis in the absence of an actual investigation.
Medical Consensus
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) has labeled the term RAD “imprecise” and “lazy,” arguing that it suggests a diagnosis in the absence of an actual investigation.
How Asthma Is Diagnosed
What Causes Reactive Airway Disease?
In the broadest terms, RAD is an asthma-like episode that develops in the absence of anallergenwithin 24 hours of exposure to an aerosol, gas, fumes, or vapor.
The shortlist of conditions that meet that definition includes:
Reactive vs. Restrictive Lung DiseaseReactive airway disease should not be confused withrestrictive lung disease. Reactive lung disease is an accepted medical term describing illnesses that limit the expansion of a person’s lungs during inhalation.
Reactive vs. Restrictive Lung Disease
Reactive airway disease should not be confused withrestrictive lung disease. Reactive lung disease is an accepted medical term describing illnesses that limit the expansion of a person’s lungs during inhalation.
Conditions That Mimic Asthma
Diagnostic Tests for Reactive Airway Disease
The approach to diagnosis for RAD is as varied as the possible causes. Based on a physical exam and a review of your medical history, your healthcare provider may order some of the following tests:
Causes of Breathing Problems in Children
How Is Reactive Airway Disease Treated?
There are no treatment guidelines for reactive airway disease. Based on the current definition, it is a term most commonly applied to emergency situations.
Outside of an emergency setting, the term RAD is rarely used and, even then, is actively discouraged.
Caveats and Controversy
One reason why the term RAD is not favored in a general setting is that it suggests a disease entity that doesn’t actually exist. Even when used in pediatrics, RAD indicates symptoms are strongly suggestive of asthma.
While this may seem reasonable, only around a third of infants who wheeze or have shortness of breath ever develop true asthma.So, if a healthcare provider takes a watch-and-wait approach based on the presumption of asthma, they could very well overlook other causes that require immediate medical attention.
Moreover, from a parent’s perspective, the declaration of RAD may lead them to believe that there is an actual “cause” and stop them from asking important questions or seeking a second opinion.
Seeking Medical AdviceIf you have a breathing disorder that is beyond the scope of your primary healthcare provider, ask for a referral to a pulmonologist for further evaluation.
Seeking Medical Advice
If you have a breathing disorder that is beyond the scope of your primary healthcare provider, ask for a referral to a pulmonologist for further evaluation.
5 Reasons to Get a Second Opinion
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brooks SM, Weiss MA, Bernstein I.Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS).Chest. 1985;88(3):376-384. doi:10.1378/chest.88.3.376Douglas LC, Feder KJ.RAD: reactive airways disease or really asthma disease?Pediatrics. 2016;139(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0625Brooks SM.Then and now: reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.J Occup Environ Med.2016 Jul;58(6):636-7. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000000787American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Definition of reactive airways disease.Lotz MT, Moore ML, Peebles RS.Respiratory syncytial virus and reactive airway disease.Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. 2013:105-118. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_5Pilcher J, Beasley R.Acute use of oxygen therapy.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):98–100. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.033Conner JB, Buck PO.Improving asthma management: the case for mandatory inclusion of dose counters on all rescue bronchodilators.J Asthma. 2013;50(6):658–663. doi:10.3109/02770903.2013.789056Prince BT, Mikhail I, Stukus DR.Underuse of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis: missed opportunities.J Asthma Allergy. 2018;11:143–151. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.2147/JAA.S159400
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brooks SM, Weiss MA, Bernstein I.Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS).Chest. 1985;88(3):376-384. doi:10.1378/chest.88.3.376Douglas LC, Feder KJ.RAD: reactive airways disease or really asthma disease?Pediatrics. 2016;139(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0625Brooks SM.Then and now: reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.J Occup Environ Med.2016 Jul;58(6):636-7. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000000787American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Definition of reactive airways disease.Lotz MT, Moore ML, Peebles RS.Respiratory syncytial virus and reactive airway disease.Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. 2013:105-118. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_5Pilcher J, Beasley R.Acute use of oxygen therapy.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):98–100. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.033Conner JB, Buck PO.Improving asthma management: the case for mandatory inclusion of dose counters on all rescue bronchodilators.J Asthma. 2013;50(6):658–663. doi:10.3109/02770903.2013.789056Prince BT, Mikhail I, Stukus DR.Underuse of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis: missed opportunities.J Asthma Allergy. 2018;11:143–151. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.2147/JAA.S159400
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Brooks SM, Weiss MA, Bernstein I.Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS).Chest. 1985;88(3):376-384. doi:10.1378/chest.88.3.376Douglas LC, Feder KJ.RAD: reactive airways disease or really asthma disease?Pediatrics. 2016;139(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0625Brooks SM.Then and now: reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.J Occup Environ Med.2016 Jul;58(6):636-7. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000000787American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Definition of reactive airways disease.Lotz MT, Moore ML, Peebles RS.Respiratory syncytial virus and reactive airway disease.Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. 2013:105-118. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_5Pilcher J, Beasley R.Acute use of oxygen therapy.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):98–100. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.033Conner JB, Buck PO.Improving asthma management: the case for mandatory inclusion of dose counters on all rescue bronchodilators.J Asthma. 2013;50(6):658–663. doi:10.3109/02770903.2013.789056Prince BT, Mikhail I, Stukus DR.Underuse of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis: missed opportunities.J Asthma Allergy. 2018;11:143–151. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.2147/JAA.S159400
Brooks SM, Weiss MA, Bernstein I.Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS).Chest. 1985;88(3):376-384. doi:10.1378/chest.88.3.376
Douglas LC, Feder KJ.RAD: reactive airways disease or really asthma disease?Pediatrics. 2016;139(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0625
Brooks SM.Then and now: reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.J Occup Environ Med.2016 Jul;58(6):636-7. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000000787
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Definition of reactive airways disease.
Lotz MT, Moore ML, Peebles RS.Respiratory syncytial virus and reactive airway disease.Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology Challenges and Opportunities for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. 2013:105-118. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_5
Pilcher J, Beasley R.Acute use of oxygen therapy.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):98–100. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.033
Conner JB, Buck PO.Improving asthma management: the case for mandatory inclusion of dose counters on all rescue bronchodilators.J Asthma. 2013;50(6):658–663. doi:10.3109/02770903.2013.789056
Prince BT, Mikhail I, Stukus DR.Underuse of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis: missed opportunities.J Asthma Allergy. 2018;11:143–151. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.2147/JAA.S159400
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