Chronic bronchitis is a long term problem occurring as a result of swelling of bronchi, which results to excessive formation of mucous blocking the airflow into the lungs. To be labeled chronic bronchitis certain stringent rules need to be met these are:
-For two years in a row cough with expectoration for at least of a period exceeding three months.
-Other lung pathologies must have been ruled out.
The most common problem that a person suffers is the shortness of breath so much so that it leads to problems with day to day activities.
One of the major factors leading to chronic bronchitis is smoking, and smokers have a high susceptibility of the same. In the initial stages of the condition, the patient suffers from severe cough in early hours of the day, but as the pathology of the condition manifests chronic the patient suffers from continued bouts of cough with expectoration of mucus. This phenomenon in layman terms] is known as smokers cough.
In the inchoate periods of the condition the broader air ducts are affected, but in time even the smaller air ducts are affected. As the chronic bronchitis reaches this stage the sufferer's VP ratio (ventilation perfusion ratio) balance is affected i.e the ratio between inspiration and expiration. The results of this abnormal VP ratio lead to various problems like decreased amount of dissolved oxygen in blood or hypoxemia causing further complications like increased effort of breathing which if not checked eventually leads to cor pulmonale.
When compared to acute bronchitis chronic bronchitis as the name suggests is a grave condition, the patients suffering from acute bronchitis responds well to antihistamines and antibiotics but the same holds true for chronic bronchitis because of increased chances of reoccurring bacterial and fungal infections.
Hence the patients suffering from chronic bronchitis are warned to take care of themselves and report the minutest of difficulties and get admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals till the condition improves.
As the disease progresses there is decreased ciliary movement hence the difficulty in coughing out the mucous, this coupled with swelling of bronchi leads to decreased protection against air borne and droplet infections.
Chronic bronchitis is a difficult disease often occurring in tandem with other respiratory ailments like emphysema and asthma. And in later stages of chronic bronchitis coupled with emphysema there is an overall reduction in the dead space volume and the condition may manifest blue bloaters in which the overall skin has a bluish tinge or cyanosis for want of oxygen.
Chronic bronchitis as a respiratory condition progresses slowly but unfortunately it has no cure and the only treatments are directed in towards relieving of presenting symptoms.
-For two years in a row cough with expectoration for at least of a period exceeding three months.
-Other lung pathologies must have been ruled out.
The most common problem that a person suffers is the shortness of breath so much so that it leads to problems with day to day activities.
One of the major factors leading to chronic bronchitis is smoking, and smokers have a high susceptibility of the same. In the initial stages of the condition, the patient suffers from severe cough in early hours of the day, but as the pathology of the condition manifests chronic the patient suffers from continued bouts of cough with expectoration of mucus. This phenomenon in layman terms] is known as smokers cough.
In the inchoate periods of the condition the broader air ducts are affected, but in time even the smaller air ducts are affected. As the chronic bronchitis reaches this stage the sufferer's VP ratio (ventilation perfusion ratio) balance is affected i.e the ratio between inspiration and expiration. The results of this abnormal VP ratio lead to various problems like decreased amount of dissolved oxygen in blood or hypoxemia causing further complications like increased effort of breathing which if not checked eventually leads to cor pulmonale.
When compared to acute bronchitis chronic bronchitis as the name suggests is a grave condition, the patients suffering from acute bronchitis responds well to antihistamines and antibiotics but the same holds true for chronic bronchitis because of increased chances of reoccurring bacterial and fungal infections.
Hence the patients suffering from chronic bronchitis are warned to take care of themselves and report the minutest of difficulties and get admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals till the condition improves.
As the disease progresses there is decreased ciliary movement hence the difficulty in coughing out the mucous, this coupled with swelling of bronchi leads to decreased protection against air borne and droplet infections.
Chronic bronchitis is a difficult disease often occurring in tandem with other respiratory ailments like emphysema and asthma. And in later stages of chronic bronchitis coupled with emphysema there is an overall reduction in the dead space volume and the condition may manifest blue bloaters in which the overall skin has a bluish tinge or cyanosis for want of oxygen.
Chronic bronchitis as a respiratory condition progresses slowly but unfortunately it has no cure and the only treatments are directed in towards relieving of presenting symptoms.
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