What is bronchitis?
The term responds to inflammation of the bronchial wall caused by inhaled toxins (most frequently tobacco) by infectious agents (whether viruses or bacteria or even fungi) or immunological etiology not linked to the above as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, vasculitis, collagenosis etc.. The most frequent agent of acute bronchitis is infectious. Its symptoms are usually cough, expectoration of whitish to yellowish mucous material and possible choking sensation if there is an associated asthmatic component.
At what point does it become a chronic disease?
If acute bronchitis is perpetuated over time, it may develop into a chronic condition, as evidenced by chronic inflammation of the bronchial wall. The symptoms are recurrent with cough and/or expectoration more than three months per year and the sensation of dyspnea on exertion.
What are the causes?
In chronic bronchitis, the most frequent cause is an inflammatory agent reaching the airway and tobacco is the most frequent, followed by other agents present in the contaminated work environment. Aspiration of food material or gastric juices are now also considered as permanent causes of chronic inflammation of the bronchial wall.
What kind of symptoms can we find?
As chronic bronchitis progresses, a loss of lung function due to scarring is established as a consequence of toxic stimuli, so that the sensation of choking with increasingly mild exertion is a very frequent characteristic over time, as well as coughing and expectoration, although sometimes both symptoms are not as evident as the dyspneic sensation.
How is chronic bronchitis treated?
Firstly, by suspending the inducing agent of chronic inflammation such as tobacco or other agent trying to stop the deterioration of lung function that the chronic insult entails. Secondly, treating in a forceful and early way the exacerbations of the same that are usually in the form of bacterial or viral infections of the airway and that motivate an acceleration of the clinical course. In case of an associated asthmatic component, announced as being accompanied by a sensation of dyspnea with “wheezing”, it is necessary to add inhaled or oral corticotherapy to resolve the excessive inflammation and the associated bronchospasm.
What are the consequences if left untreated?
Chronic bronchitis is the “hallmark” of chronic airflow obstruction which is the parameter that registers the deterioration of lung function on spirometry. The consequence is progressive dyspnea on exertion, pulmonary pressure impairment and consequently, right ventricular function. The basic function of the lung, which is gas exchange, will be progressively altered so that oxygen pressure deficit appears.