Acute Exacerbations
Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) are episodes of difficulty in breathing in a person with chronic bronchitis.
During AECB, breathing becomes much more difficult because of further narrowing of the airways, in addition to increased secretion of mucus, which often is thicker than usual.
Treatment of AECB may include:
- Cough suppressants
- Inhaled bronchodilators
- Antibiotics are used if a bacterial infection is the suspected cause. However, antibiotics will not treat exacerbations caused by viruses.
- Corticosteroids
- Theophylline
- Oxygen therapy
Read more about this topic: Chronic Bronchitis
Famous quotes containing the word acute:
“One of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)