Sunday, January 11, 2009

Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis

By Amy Cheung

In some cases, for a person with chronic bronchitis, the physical manifestations will rapidly become worse without warning. This is known as an acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, otherwise known as AECB. Many people that pass away from a chronic form of bronchitis does so while experiencing an incident of AECB, so an individual suffering from sudden AECB needs medical care immediately to maximize his/her chances of surviving the attack.

What Occurs During AECB?

Throughout an AECB, the by now narrower-than-normal air passageways in one's lungs become even thinner, and an increased amount of more profuse mucous is secreted. The condition will cause respiration to be particularly difficult. This may be accompanied by a slight fever, chills, and a sense of weakness in the knees. If the abrupt occurrence of acute exacerbation is due to infectious bacteria, the liquid expelled during expectoration may be spotted with blood, or tinged with a brighter than regular green or yellow. If the person is experiencing fever, and has found blood in his/her mucus, there is a likelihood the physician will order a chest x-ray to make sure that pneumonia is not the underlying cause of the symptoms.

What Are the Known Triggers of AECB?

Cases of AECB are usually triggered by a combination of the following:

-Bacterial or viral infections (e.g. cold, flu)

-Air pollutants that irritate the lungs (e.g. smoke, fumes, dust)

-Changes in weather

To protect oneself from AECB, a chronic bronchitic is counseled to avoid places with severe air pollution, to seek flu and pneumonia injections, as well as to keep a healthy diet to protect one's immune system against infectious agents.

If you are stricken with AECB, you must pursue medical treatment at once. This condition has been observed to trigger other conditions, as well as numerous cases are admitted to the hospital annually for AECB complications. If you are stricken by AECB, try to avoid panicking. Breathe as steadily as possible, and levelheadedly phone a doctor or physician for advice . Since this condition can come abruptly without warning, it is imperative to keep any inhalants prescribed by your doctor within reach in emergency situations. Remember to ask your physician, and ensure that such inhalants are okay to inhale during an attack of AECB, to avoid any problems. You may benefit from lying down with a humidifier turned on, or jumping in a warm shower to help you breath and decrease the problems of AECB.

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