acute bronchitis

Question 1

what is it?

Answer 1

lower respiratory tract infection characterised by short term inflammation of bronchi

Question 2

what can cause it?

Answer 2

its viral infection

Question 3

what can come after acute bronchitis?

Answer 3

a UTI

Question 4

how does it present?

Answer 4

• productive cough
• fever
• transient (short) wheeze

Question 5

what investigations are done

Answer 5

CXR (will come back normal), chest examination and sample of mucus may be taken

Question 6

what is the treatment

Answer 6

painkillers

Question 7

why do patients with acute bronchitis have a fever?

Answer 7

fighting off the infection

Question 8

why do patients with acute bronchitis have a productive cough?

Answer 8

the infection in the bronchi causes them to become irritated causing the goblet cells to produce more mucus than usual, the mucociliary escalator and coughing is the bodies way of trying to get rid of the mucus

Question 9

what are the complications of acute bronchitis?

Answer 9

vulnerable people have an increased chance of developing pneumonia

Question 10

who would be classed as vulnerable ?

Answer 10

elderly, people with underlying health conditions, smokers, people with compromised immune systems