| Definition: Bronchitis is the | | | | Sputum culture is indicated to be |
| inflammation (acute or cronic )of the | | | | performed to put a correct diagnosis of |
| trachea, bronchi. Acute bronchitis is | | | | the infection and to identify the most |
| caused by viral or bacterial infection | | | | appropriate antibiotic. The patient is |
| and heal without complications. Adults | | | | asked to spit in a cup and than the |
| that smoke develop chronic bronchitis | | | | sample is grown in the laboratory to see |
| that cannot be cured. | | | | which organisms are present. Sometimes |
| Description | | | | the sputum may be collected using |
| Acute bronchitis appears mostly in the | | | | bronchoscopy, the patient is given a |
| winter, more often caused by viral | | | | local anesthetic and the tube is passed |
| infection. Although the cough may | | | | through the airways to collect a sputum |
| persist longer acute bronchitis is | | | | sample. Blood tests and x-rays are also |
| solved in two weeks, acute bronchitis | | | | recommended, the measuring of the oxygen |
| complication is pneumonia in children. | | | | and carbon dioxide are also important. |
| Demographics | | | | Treatment |
| Bronchitis affects predominantly | | | | Bronchitis may be treated by home care |
| pre-school and school age children, | | | | if it's not complicated, resting, not |
| especially during winter time. | | | | smocking and drinking plenty of fluids, |
| Cause and symptoms | | | | for fever you may take Tylenol, Panadol, |
| Bronchitis begins with the symptoms of a | | | | Datril. |
| cold, running nose, coughing, sneezing, | | | | Cough suppressants may be used only when |
| fever of 102°F (38.8°C), greenish | | | | the cough is dry. Cough is useful |
| yellow sputum. In three to five days | | | | because brings up extra mucus and |
| most of the symptoms disappear, but | | | | irritants from the lungs and this way |
| coughing may continue for some time. If | | | | stops the mucus to accumulate in the |
| the acute bronchitis is complicated with | | | | airways and producing pneumonia |
| bacterial infection the fever and a | | | | bacteria. Tetracycline or ampicillin are |
| general feeling of illness persists. The | | | | used in the treatment of acute |
| bacterial infection should be treated | | | | bronchitis, but good results have been |
| with antibiotics, if the cough doesn't | | | | obtained with trimethoprim |
| get away it may be asthma or pneumonia. | | | | sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim or Septra) and |
| In direct proportion with the stage of | | | | azithromycin (Zithromax) and |
| the disease acute bronchitis has those | | | | clarithromycin (Biaxin). In children |
| symptoms: dry, hacking, unproductive | | | | acute bronchitis amoxicillin (Amoxil, |
| cough, runny nose, sore throat, back and | | | | Pentamox, Sumox, Trimox)is recommended, |
| other muscle pains, general malaise, | | | | inhaler sprays to dilatate the bronchis |
| headache, fever, chills. | | | | and clear aut the mucus are also good. |
| Diagnosis | | | | It is important to rest sufficiently, to |
| The doctor will listen to the child's | | | | eat well, avoid air pollution and |
| chest, if he hears moist rales, | | | | irritants. Childrens wash their hands |
| crackling, wheezing it means that the | | | | regularly and as a preventive measure |
| lung are inflammated and the airway is | | | | they are artificially immunized against |
| narrowing. Moist rales are caused by the | | | | pneumonia. |
| fluid secretions in the bronchial tubes. | | | | |