Bronchitis - the disease characterised by an inflammation of bronchuses with a primary lesion of their mucosa. The bronchitis is one of the most frequent diseases of organs of breath. Distinguish the acute and chronic bronchitis representing independent nosological forms.
Acute bronchitis
At the heart of an acute bronchitis the inflammation of a mucosa of the bronchuses, usually caused by respiratory viruses which the microbic flora (streptococcuses, pneumococcuses, a hemophilic rod, etc.) can again join lays. Quite often it is observed at a flu, a measles, a whooping cough and other diseases; sometimes passes in the chronic. Quite often the acute bronchitis is combined with a tracheitis, a laryngitis, a nasopharyngitis.
In some cases terminal departments of a bronchial tree are mainly amazed, there is a bronchiolitis. The frigorism, smoking, the alcohol use, a chronic focal infection carry to contributing factors in nasopharyngeal area, disturbance of nasal breath, thorax deformation. The acute bronchitis can arise also at influence physical (cold or hot air) or chemical (irritating gases) factors.
The damaging agent gets into bronchuses mainly with inhaled air. Probably also penetration of the damaging agent with a blood current (a hematogenic way) or with a lymph current (a lymphogenous way). The edema and a hyperemia of a mucosa of bronchuses with formation of a mucous or mucopurulent secret usually develop. In serious cases necrotic changes of an epithelium of bronchuses with the subsequent tearing away of an epithelial integument can be observed. As a result of inflammatory changes, and also a bronchospasm sometimes there are disturbances of bronchial passableness, especially at a lesion of fine bronchuses.
The bronchitis of an infectious aetiology quite often begins against an acute rhinitis and a laryngitis. The acute bronchitis beginning is shown by a malaise, feeling of a burning sensation behind a breast bone (at a trachea lesion). The basic sign of a bronchitis - tussis (dry or wet). At an acute bronchitis tussis has mainly paroxysmal character, is accompanied by feeling of a burning sensation behind a breast bone or in a drink. At times paroxysmal tussis happens so intensive, that is accompanied by a headache. Patients are disturbed by delicacy, a chilling, rise in temperature to 37 - 38 oС, a headache, a pain in muscles. Percussion changes are not present. At auscultation of lungs rigid breath, absent-minded dry rhonchuses become perceptible. Changes in blood minimum. A X-ray intensifying of a pulmonary drawing and an illegibility of roots of lungs are changeably taped. Through 2 - 3 days from the disease beginning appear a small amount of a viscous sputum, tussis becomes less excruciating, the state of health improves. Disease, as a rule, lasts 1 - 2 weeks, however tussis can proceed till 1 month.
At an acute bronchitis there can be a disturbance of bronchial passableness, as the basic which clinical implication paroxysmal tussis, dry or with difficultly separated sputum, accompanied by disturbance of ventilation of the lungs serves. Dyspnea intensifying, a cyanosis, whistling rhonchuses in lungs, especially on an exhalation and in horizontal position becomes perceptible. The acute bronchitis with disturbance of bronchial passableness tends to a fixing current and transition in a chronic bronchitis.
The serious and fixing current of a bronchitis should be differentiated with pneumonia development at which the dullness over the amazed site becomes perceptible, wet rhonchuses are auscultated.
