They are not the same, asthma is a reactive airway disease, reactive airways diseases are not always asthma.
Sometimes the terms "reactive airway disease" and "asthma" are used interchangeably. However, they’re not necessarily the same thing.
The term "Reactive Airway Disease" (a term coined by S.M. Brooks and colleagues in 1985) is used to describe an asthma-like syndrome developing after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating vapor, fume, or smoke.
Reactive airway disease is a general term that doesn’t indicate a specific diagnosis. It may be used to describe a history of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath of unknown cause. These signs and symptoms may or may not be caused by asthma.
Current usage of the term in the medical community is to describe an asthma-like syndrome in infants that may later be confirmed to be asthmatics when they become old enough to participate in diagnostic tests such as the bronchial challenge test. It can also be used in adults with exposure to high levels of chlorine, ammonia, acetic acid, sulphur dioxide, creating symptoms like asthma. The severity of these symptoms can be mild to fatal, and can even create long term airway damage depending on the amount of exposure and the concentration of Chlorine. Furthermore, some experts classify Reactive Airway Disease as occupational asthma.
January 29th, 2010 | 
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they are the same. I wondered for years, too, maybe a regional/background taught to differerent MD< its the same.
Pretty much the same thing.
They are not the same, asthma is a reactive airway disease, reactive airways diseases are not always asthma.
Sometimes the terms "reactive airway disease" and "asthma" are used interchangeably. However, they’re not necessarily the same thing.
The term "Reactive Airway Disease" (a term coined by S.M. Brooks and colleagues in 1985) is used to describe an asthma-like syndrome developing after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating vapor, fume, or smoke.
Reactive airway disease is a general term that doesn’t indicate a specific diagnosis. It may be used to describe a history of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath of unknown cause. These signs and symptoms may or may not be caused by asthma.
Current usage of the term in the medical community is to describe an asthma-like syndrome in infants that may later be confirmed to be asthmatics when they become old enough to participate in diagnostic tests such as the bronchial challenge test. It can also be used in adults with exposure to high levels of chlorine, ammonia, acetic acid, sulphur dioxide, creating symptoms like asthma. The severity of these symptoms can be mild to fatal, and can even create long term airway damage depending on the amount of exposure and the concentration of Chlorine. Furthermore, some experts classify Reactive Airway Disease as occupational asthma.