Acute bronchitis is one of the most common respiratory conditions seen by doctors. It is characterized by inflammation of the main airways called the bronchi. Viral infections are the most common causes of bronchitis. There are many different viruses that cause bronchitis, including those that cause the common cold and influenza.

The classic symptoms of bronchitis mimic a cold. They begin with a tickle in the back of the throat that progresses to a dry, irritating cough. As the infection worsens, thick, yellow mucus may be coughed up. The mucus may even be streaked with blood. Viral bronchitis may increase the risk of a secondary bacterial bronchial infection. Recent viral infection, chronic lung problems such as asthma, and smoking all increase the risk of acute bronchitis.

Symptoms of acute bronchitis include cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, "rattle" in the chest, general feeling of illness (malaise), slight fever, chest pain and poor sleep. The cough stays steady or worsens over a period of about 2 weeks. The cough is worse at night. It starts out as a dry cough but becomes increasingly loose over time. Adult patients may cough up mucus but children may swallow it rather than cough it up. The cough from acute bronchitis usually does not last longer than 6 to 8 weeks. The diagnosis of acute bronchitis will be to rule out other more serious diseases such as pertussis (whooping cough) and pneumonia.

The goals of treatment are to relieve the symptoms. Since secondary bacterial infections in otherwise healthy people are rare, antibiotics should not be used until the cough has persisted for 10 to 14 days. Bronchodilators, such as albuterol, may be prescribed to relax constricted airways and relieve shortness of breath and wheezing. Guiafenesin is often prescribed to loosen mucus, but its effectiveness is uncertain. Patients will be told to rest, drink plenty of fluids, and humidify the air to thin secretions. Symptoms should improve after 10 to 14 days in the absence of secondary disease such as bacterial infection or asthma. Pneumonia is a possible serious complication. Patients should call their health care provider if they have symptoms of acute bronchitis or if they are treated for acute bronchitis without improvement after two weeks.

Frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent acute bronchitis. Patients that are at risk for pneumonia should get vaccinated to avoid pneumonia as a complication of acute bronchitis. Cold, damp environments, smoke and pollution should be avoided, as they increase susceptibility to acute bronchitis.

Reference: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000124.htm.

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