Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi (medium-size airways) in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum (phlegm) production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways. Diagnosis is by clinical examination and sometimes microbiological examination of the phlegm. Treatment for acute bronchitis is typically symptomatic. As viruses cause most cases of acute bronchitis, antibiotics should not be used unless microscopic examination of gram-stained sputum reveals large numbers of bacteria.
Source: WikipediaWithin all the people who go to their doctor with acute bronchitis, 92% report having cough, 66% report having nasal congestion, and 63% report having fever. The symptoms that are highly suggestive of acute bronchitis are coughing up sputum and congestion in chest, although you may still have acute bronchitis without those symptoms.
Patients with acute bronchitis often receive radiographic imaging procedure, plain x-ray, nebulizer therapy, kidney function tests, electrocardiogram, cardiac enzymes measurement, cardiac monitoring and blood culture .
The most commonly prescribed drugs for patients with acute bronchitis include azithromycin, guaifenesin (mucinex), ipratropium, benzonatate, robitussin ac, clarithromycin, codeine / promethazine, robitussin dm, guaifenesin / hydrocodone, brompheniramine / dextromethorphan / pseudoephedrine, carbinoxamine / pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan / promethazine and dextromethorphan (duramax) .
Azithromycin | $25 (7 days) | |
Guaifenesin (Mucinex) | $13 (14 days) | |
Ipratropium | $66 (21 days) | |
Benzonatate | $17 (14 days) | |
Robitussin Ac | $5 (7 days) | |
Clarithromycin | $37 (14 days) | |
Robitussin Dm | $7 (7 days) | |
Dextromethorphan (Duramax) | $9 (7 days) |
Groups of people at highest risk for acute bronchitis include .
< 1 years | 0.7x | |
1-4 years | 1.2x | |
5-14 years | 0.9x | |
15-29 years | 1.1x | |
30-44 years | 1.2x | |
45-59 years | 1.0x | |
60-74 years | 0.8x | |
75+ years | 0.7x |
Male | 1.0x | |
Female | 1.0x |
Black | 1.1x | |
Hispanic | 0.9x | |
White | 1.0x | |
Other | 0.7x |