Chronic bronchitis is a long term manifestation occurring as a result of inflammation of bronchi, which leads to increased production of mucous blocking the flow of air into the respiratory system. To be known as chronic bronchitis certain fixed criteria need to be adhered to. They are:
- For two years consecutively cough with expectoration for at least of a period exceeding three months.
- Other lung diseases must have been carefully examined.
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 causing chronic bronchitis is smoking, and smokers have a high susceptibility of the same. In the early stages of the condition, the patient suffers from morning cough, but as the pathology of the condition changes towards long term is afflicted with continued bouts of cough with expectoration of mucus. This occurrence in layman terms is known as smokers cough.
In the inchoate stages of the condition the larger bronchi are affected, but finally even the smaller bronchi are affected. As the chronic bronchitis reaches this stage the patient'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 troubles like insufficient concentration of mixed oxygen in blood or hypoxemia causing further complications like heavy breathing which if not checked finally leads to cor pulmonale.
When compared to acute bronchitis chronic bronchitis as the name points towards is a far dangerous condition, the patients suffering from acute bronchitis can be easily treated with antihistamines and antibiotics but the same cannot be said chronic bronchitis because of increased chances of opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections.
Hence the patients affected by chronic bronchitis are warned to take care of themselves and inform about the minutest of difficulties and get admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals till the condition improves.
As the disease advances there is decreased ciliary movement hence the difficulty in coughing out the mucous, this coupled with inflammation of bronchi leads to reduced safety against air borne and droplet germs.
Chronic bronchitis is a difficult condition often occurring in tandem with other respiratory ailments like emphysema and asthma. And in advanced 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 whole skin has a bluish tinge or cyanosis for want of oxygen.
Chronic bronchitis as a disease grows slowly but unfortunately it has no cure and the only management are directed in direction of alleviation of presenting complications.
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