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Bronchitis, Acute

Ghazaleh Bigdeli, FCCP, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

  • Acute bronchitis is a common clinical condition characterized by an acute onset but persistent cough, with or without sputum production. It is typically self-limited, resolving within one to th...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Acute bronchitis should be suspected in patients with an acute onset but persistent cough (often lasting one to three weeks) who do not have clinical findings suggestive of pneumonia (e.g., ...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Outpatient treatment unless elderly or complicated by severe underlying disease

  • Rest

  • Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.

  • Steam inhalations

  • Vaporizers

  • Adequate hydration

  • Antitu...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Usually a self-limited disease not requiring follow-up

  • Cough may linger for several weeks.

  • In children, if recurrent, need to consider other diagnoses, such as asth...

REFERENCES

1
Albert  RH. Diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis. Am Fam Physician.  2010;82(11):1345–1350. [View Abstract on OvidMedline]
2
...

SEE ALSO

  • Asthma; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema

  • Algorithm: Cough, Chronic

CODES

ICD10

  • J20.9 Acute bronchitis, unspecified

  • J68.0 Bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

  • B97.0 Adenovirus as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere

  • J20.1 Acute bronch...

CLINICAL PEARLS

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