Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Dr. Schiffman received his B.S. degree with High Honors in biology from Hobart College in 1976. He then moved to Chicago where he studied biochemistry at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. He attended Rush Medical College where he received his M.D. degree in 1982 and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency at the University of California, Irvine.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Bronchitis is a term that describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes
(bronchi and the smaller branches termed bronchioles) that results in excessive
secretions of mucus into the tubes with tissue swelling that may narrow or close
off bronchial tubes.
Chronic bronchitis is defined as a cough that occurs every day with sputum
production that lasts for at least 3 months, 2 years in a row.
The major cause of chronic bronchitis is cigarette smoking; other causes
are bronchial irritants, usually inhaled repeatedly by the affected person.
Ideally, people should seek medical care before chronic bronchitis
develops. People should seek care for tobacco addiction and the occasional
chronic cough (less than daily for 3 months) to potentially avoid developing
chronic bronchitis. Those with chronic bronchitis should seek care for severe
dyspnea, cyanosis, and fever immediately.
Diagnosis for chronic bronchitis is done by clinical history and physical exam, while other tests
such as chest X-rays, pulmonary function tests, and CT imaging studies may also
be used.
Treatment of most people with chronic bronchitis is to quit cigarette
smoking and avoid air-borne bronchial irritants; medical treatments include
bronchodilators, steroids, and oxygen therapy.
The major complications of chronic bronchitis are severe shortness of
breath, COPD,
respiratory failure, and a high mortality rate.
Risk factors for chronic bronchitis include smoking, exposure to airborne
chemicals and secondhand smoke, dust, and other bronchial irritants.
A majority of cases of chronic bronchitis can be prevented by not smoking
and avoiding secondhand smoke. Avoidance of air-borne bronchial irritants,
vaccinations, and asthma prevention may help prevent bouts of chronic
bronchitis.
Although the disease is chronic and progressive, patients that are
diagnosed early before much bronchial damage occurs and who stop smoking (or
avoid airborne dust, chemicals or other situations that lead to bronchial
irritation) often have a good prognosis for many years.
What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis is a term that describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes
(bronchi and the smaller branches termed bronchioles) that results in excessive
secretions of mucus into the tubes, leading to tissue swelling that can narrow
or close off bronchial tubes. Bronchial tubes extend from the trachea and
terminate at the alveoli in the lungs; the bronchial system resembles an
inverted tree and is sometimes termed the "bronchial tree." A few authors
include the trachea and upper airway in the definition. There are two major
types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Many investigators conclude that recurrent incidences of acute bronchitis are the first steps that can lead to developing chronic bronchitis.
What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is bronchitis that is short-lived; the bronchitis
lasts about two weeks and usually people recover with no permanent damage to the
bronchial tree. Viruses such as influenza,
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),
and rhinoviruses cause the majority (about 90%) of cases of acute bronchitis,
while the remainder are caused by bacteria (for example, Mycoplasma, Pneumococcus) or
short-term exposure to chemical irritants (for example,
tobacco smoke,
gastric
reflux contents, inhaled solvents).
Pneumonia is inflammation of one or both lungs with consolidation. Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection. The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid
contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are heartburn,
regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, wheezing, morning headaches, and pulmonary hypertension. Treatment of COPD is focused on the related condition(s).
Emphysema is a progressive disease of the lungs. The primary cause of emphysema is smoking. Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a rare disorder that has a genetic predisposition to emphysema. Aging, IV drug use, immune deficiencies, and connect tissue illnesses are also risk factors for emphysema. Emphysema is a subtype of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COLD). Symptoms include shortness of breath and wheezing. Management of symptoms may be achieved with medications, quitting smoking, pulmonary rehabilitation, or surgery.
Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude). Treatment of polycythemia depends on the cause.
Asthma is a common disorder in which
chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, narrowing the airways. Signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness,
cough and wheezing.
Influenza (flu) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. The flu may be prevented with an annual influenza vaccination.
A pneumothorax is free air in the chest outside the lung, that causes the lung to collapse (collapsed lung). There are two types of pneumothorax, spontaneous or primary pneumothorax and secondary pneumothorax. Symptoms include sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, cough, and fatigue.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Smoker's lung photo essay is a collection of pictures and microscopic slides of lung disease caused by cigarette smoking. Smoker's lung refers to the diseases and structural abnormalities in the lung caused by cigarette smoking.
Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the bronchial tubes of the lung become damaged. Inflammation from infection or other causes destroys the smooth muscles of the bronchial tubes. Bronchiectasis is a form of COPD (which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis). There are three primary types of bronchiectasis: 1) cylindrical bronchiectasis; 2) saccular bronchiectasis; and 3) cystic bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis may also be acquired or congenital. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis are recurrent cough and sputum production. There is no cure for bronchiectasis. Treatment is often geared toward controlling the symptoms of bronchiectasis.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious viral infection. Symptoms include fever and nasal congestion and discharge. Treatment focuses on supportive care.
There are many unusual symptoms of asthma, including sighing, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, chronic cough, recurrent walking pneumonia, and rapid breathing. These symptoms may vary from individual to individual. These asthma complexities make it difficult to accurately diagnose and treat asthma.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an inherited disorder that may cause liver and lung disease in adults. Signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, weight loss, respiratory infections, fatigue, vision abnormalities. Advanced lung disease from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency include emphysema. Liver damage from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency causes a swollen abdomen, swollen legs or feet, and jaundice.
If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia. Avoiding cigarette smoking, practice good hygeine, stay away from crowds, and alerting your healthcare provider if you have a sinus infection or cold or cough that becomes worse. Treatment options depend upon the severity of the emphysema, bronchitis, or cold combination.
Secondhand smoke can cause illness and disease in nonsmokers. Some of these conditions include lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma, SIDS, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from secondhand smoke exposure in the home environment and workplace.
Bronchiectasis is a term that describes damage to the walls of the large
airways, or bronchial tubes, of the lung. Inflammation due to infection or other
causes destroys the smooth muscles that allow the bronchial tubes to be elastic
and prevents secretions that are normally made by lung tissue to be cleared.
Normal branching of the airways of the lung demonstrates a gentle taper that
occurs at each branch point, like the branches of a tree. This tapering results
in decreased resistance in the larger branches, enabling mucus or other objects
to be funneled to the larger airways and eventually, with a cough, ejected out
through the mouth. Loss of this normal anatomic tapering of the airways by
damage due to inflammation causes the walls of the airways to be irregularly
shaped. Secretions tend to pool in the distorted airways rather than be
expelled, and these stagnant secretions are a breeding ground for bacterial
growt...