Treatment and Prevention
Prevention of AECB for a person with chronic bronchitis includes:
- quitting smoking and avoiding dust, secondhand smoke, and other inhaled irritants
- immunization against influenza (yearly) and pneumonia (single injection, or several as recommended by your doctor)
- regular exercise, appropriate rest, and healthy nutrition as discussed with health professionals
- avoiding people who currently have an infectious respiratory disease such as a cold or influenza
- maintaining good fluid intake and humidifying the home to help reduce the problem of thick sputum and chest congestion
Treatment of AECB may include:
- cough suppressants: These may be used to reduce the severe coughing that can occur with AECB. Expectorants may be used to help liquefy thick mucus, making it easier to clear it from the airways. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help to thin mucus.
- inhaled bronchodilators: Treatment with bronchodilators such as salbutamol*, ipratropium, and terbutaline opens up the airways in the lungs.
- antibiotics: This treatment is used if a bacterial infection is the suspected cause. Antibiotics will not help infections caused by viruses. Viral infections will usually go away on their own with the aid of proper rest and care. However, other medications may be needed to control symptoms.
- corticosteroids: These medications, such as oral (taken by mouth) prednisone or inhaled fluticasone, reduce inflammation in the airways. Oral corticosteroids are usually used for short periods of time when an acute exacerbation occurs, while inhaled forms may be continued for longer.
- theophylline: This is an oral medication that may help to ease the difficulty of breathing, though it is now less often prescribed. If a person with AECB is not already taking theophylline for chronic bronchitis, the doctor may want them to take it to help with the symptoms of an acute exacerbation.
- oxygen therapy: A physician will recommend this if your blood oxygen level is too low. Some people with severe chronic bronchitis require oxygen on an ongoing basis. Portable "home oxygen therapy" allows a person to remain mobile while receiving this therapy.
Any person with chronic bronchitis should have a treatment or "care plan" in place for those times when an acute exacerbation suddenly hits. A doctor and patient must agree on which symptoms to watch for (e.g., shortness of breath, change in character or amount of mucus) before the person starts self-treatment. Such plans allow a person to start treatment right away so symptoms are kept as much under control as possible until a doctor can be seen.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.