Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Techniques include chest percussion using clapping: the therapist lightly claps the patient's chest, back, and area under the arms. Percussion, while effective in the treatment of infants and children, is no longer used in adults due to the introduction of more effective and self-management focused treatments.
Chronic bronchitis is defined clinically as a persistent cough that produces sputum (phlegm) and mucus, for at least three months in two consecutive years. Chronic bronchitis is often the cause of "smoker's cough". The tobacco smoke causes inflammation, secretion of mucus into the airway, and difficulty clearing that mucus out of the airways.
Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, that's defined by clinical symptoms like a productive cough for at least 3 weeks per year for at least 2 years. This video discusses the pathophysiology, clinical signs and symptoms, and treatment of chronic bronchitis.
Additionally, bronchitis is described as either acute or chronic depending on its presentation and is also further described by the causative agent. Acute bronchitis can be defined as acute bacterial or viral infection of the larger airways in healthy patients with no history of recurrent disease. [ 8 ]
Guidelines recommend against the use of bronchodilators in children with bronchiolitis as evidence does not support a change in outcomes with such use. [9] [20] [47] [48] Additionally, there are adverse effects to the use of bronchodilators in children such as tachycardia and tremors, as well as adding increased cost to the medical visit. [49] [47]
Patient education is a planned interactive learning process designed to support and enable expert patients [1] to manage their life with a disease and/or optimise their health and well-being. [ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Many patients eventually require oxygen supplementation at home. In severe cases that are difficult to control, chronic treatment with oral corticosteroids may be necessary, although this is fraught with significant side effects. COPD is generally irreversible although lung function can partially recover if the patient stops smoking.
The most common symptom of eosinophilic bronchitis is a chronic dry cough lasting more than 6–8 weeks. [3] Eosinophilic bronchitis is also defined by the increased number of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, in the sputum compared to that of healthy people. [2]