What is acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis?
An exacerbation of chronic bronchitis may be defined as the acute worsening of the clinical symptoms of the disease, i.e. breathlessness, wheezing and cough, associated with sputum production and/or sputum purulence.
What is the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis?
Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are treated with oxygen (in hypoxemic patients), inhaled beta2 agonists, inhaled anticholinergics, antibiotics and systemic corticosteroids. Methylxanthine therapy may be considered in patients who do not respond to other bronchodilators.
What are the most common pathogens in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis?
The most common bacterial aetiologies of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) include Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is often a nosocomial pathogen and is becoming more prevalent in patients with severe underlying disease.
What is COPD acute exacerbation?
Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) describe the phenomenon of sudden worsening in airway function and respiratory symptoms in patients with COPD. These exacerbations can range from self-limited diseases to episodes of florid respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.
What is the meaning of exacerbations?
Exacerbation: A worsening. In medicine, exacerbation may refer to an increase in the severity of a disease or its signs and symptoms. For example, an exacerbation of asthma might occur as a serious effect of air pollution, leading to shortness of breath.
What causes bronchitis exacerbation?
Although acute exacerbations generally result from bacterial or viral infections, 20% of cases have a noninfectious cause. Exposure to allergens, pollutants, or cigarette smoke must be considered, and the importance of that exposure must be assessed.
What is AECB disease?
An acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB), is a sudden worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms including shortness of breath, quantity and color of phlegm that typically lasts for several days.
What are acute exacerbations?
Based on the current guidelines, an acute exacerbation is defined as an acute and transient worsening of preexisting symptoms in patients with CRS [7, 8]. However, there is no consensus definition of how to quantify AE due to multifactorial etiologies and inconsistency in endpoint reporting.
What are exacerbation symptoms?
The most common signs and symptoms of an oncoming exacerbation are:
- More coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath than usual.
- Changes in the color, thickness, or amount of mucus.
- Feeling tired for more than one day.
- Swelling of the legs or ankles.
- More trouble sleeping than usual.
What are the two types of treatment that are used for exacerbations?
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may occasionally have symptom exacerbations, or flare-ups. Treatments options for exacerbations include bronchodilators, corticosteroids, antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and ventilation. COPD is the name given to a group of long-term lung diseases.
What antibiotic is best for chronic bronchitis?
Commonly prescribed antibiotics include a five-day course of amoxicillin, oxytetracycline or doxycycline. Mucolytics or mucus thinners – these are prescribed in chronic bronchitis. These thinners make the mucus loose and easy to cough up. Cough suppressants are usually not recommended.
What are facts about COPD?
COPD is a lifelong, incurable respiratory disease. It includes two main conditions: Emphysema, in which the air sacs of the lungs are damaged causing the lungs to lose their elastic nature, so the lungs become floppy. This decreases the lungs’ efficiency in exchanging gas.
What is physical findings suggest acute bronchitis?
Physical examination findings in acute bronchitis are variable and may include the following: Diffuse wheezes, high-pitched continuous sounds, and the use of accessory muscles (in severe cases) Diffuse diminution of air intake or inspiratory stridor (indicative of bronchial or tracheal obstruction)
What is COPD symptoms?
Shortness of breath is the primary symptom of COPD. It occurs with daily activities and is caused by blocked or clogged airways and damaged or destroyed alveoli where oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is released. Other COPD symptoms may include wheezing, chest tightness, and a chronic cough.