Reactive airway disease (RAD) is an informal label that physicians apply to patients with symptoms similar to those of asthma.

[1][2] Individuals who are typically labeled as having RAD generally have a history of wheezing, coughing, dyspnea, and production of sputum that may or may not be caused by asthma.

[1][3] Since RAD is not recognized as a real clinical diagnosis, its meaning is highly inconsistent and may cause confusion and misdiagnosis within the medical community.

[1] RAD can be confused with reactive airways dysfunction syndrome, an asthma-like disorder that results from high exposure to vapors, fumes, and/or smoke.

Asthma and viral bronchiolitis can also be nearly identical to each other when presented in very young children, since they both consist of wheezing, coughing, and nasal congestion.

All of these factors lead physicians to label young children with RAD instead of asthma, since the disease is often only suspected and unable to be confirmed with pediatric patients.

[2] Physicians will generally label an adult with RAD if they have no prior diagnosis or history of asthma while exhibiting symptoms of wheezing, production of sputum, and/or the use of an inhaler.

[1][5] It can manifest in adults with exposure to high levels of chlorine, ammonia, acetic acid, or sulphur dioxide, creating symptoms like asthma.

[6] These symptoms can vary from mild to fatal and can even create long-term airway damage, depending on the amount of exposure and the concentration of chlorine.

[3] Its use may result in undertreatment, as treatments for asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or pneumonia may not be prescribed under a label of reactive airway disease.

[1] As a result of its ambiguous place in the medical field, the symptoms used to characterize it are often inconsistent and can lead to confusion in a healthcare setting.