Chronic bronchitis is a prolonged manifestation occurring from inflammation of bronchi, which results to excessive formation of mucous hindering the airflow into the respiratory system. To be labeled chronic bronchitis certain stringent criteria have to be adhered to these are:
- For two years in a row cough with expectoration for at least of a period exceeding three months.
- Different lung pathologies must have been carefully examined.
The most common complication that a person suffers is the shortness of breath so much so that it affects 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 is troubled by morning cough, but as the pathology of the condition manifests chronic the patient suffers from continued bouts of cough with expectoration of mucus. This occurrence in layman terms] is known as smokers cough.
In the inchoate periods of the condition the broader airways are affected, but finally even the smaller airways are affected. As the disease reaches this stage the patient's VP ratio (ventilation perfusion ratio) balance is affected i.e the balance between inspiration and expiration. The results of this deviated VP ratio lead to various conditions like less concentration of mixed oxygen in blood or hypoxemia leading to enhanced complications like heavy breathing which if not corrected finally leads to cor pulmonale.
As 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 susceptibility of opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections.
Hence the patients suffering from chronic bronchitis are advised to take care of themselves and report the minutest of problems and get admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals till they feel better.
As the disease progresses there is decreased ciliary motility therefore the difficulty in coughing out the mucous, this coupled with inflammation of bronchi leads to reduced protection against air borne and droplet infections.
Chronic bronchitis is a complex 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 decrease in the dead space volume and the condition may manifest blue bloaters in which the whole skin has a bluish discoloration or cyanosis for want of oxygen.
Chronic bronchitis as a respiratory condition grows slowly but unfortunately it has no cure and the only management are directed in towards alleviation of presenting symptoms.
