Chronic Bronchitis vs. Emphysema

 

Signs and Symptoms

Chronic Bronchitis (Blue Bloater)	Emphysema (Pink Puffer)
Chronic, productive cough	Dyspnea
Purulent sputum	Minimal cough
Hemoptysis	Increased minute ventilation
Mild dyspnea initially	Pink skin, Pursed-lip breathing
Cyanosis (due to hypoxemia)	Accessory muscle use
Peripheral edema (due to cor pulmonale)	Cachexia
Crackles, wheezes	Hyperinflation, barrel chest
Prolonged expiration	Decreased breath sounds
Obese	Tachypnea

Complications

Chronic Bronchitis (Blue Bloater)	Emphysema (Pink Puffer)
Secondary polycythemia vera due to hypoxemia.	Pneumothorax due to bullae
Pulmonary hypertension due to reactive vasoconstriction from hypoxemia	Weight loss due to work of breathing
Cor pulmonale from chronic pulmonary hypertension