[Acute bronchitis: when are antibiotics, and when is symptomatic treatment indicated?].
Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a virus, while the chronic form is due to inhalative noxae (in most cases decades of cigarette smoking). Both varieties are diagnosed on a clinical basis. Treatment of acute bronchitis is symptomatic. A sore throat is treated locally, and a troublesome, in particular nocturnal, cough with antitussive agents applied for a limited period (14 days). If bronchial mucus is viscous and difficult to clear, short-term treatment with a secretolytic or mucolytic substance is justified. Management of chronic bronchitis consists primarily in the elimination of the noxae. Treatment with antibiotics (usually oral) makes good sense only when there is a bacteriological infection of the upper or lower airways in an acute stage, such as infection-driven exacerbation of chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD).
Gillissen
A
A
Robert-Koch-Klinik, Klinikum "St. Georg", Leipzig. adrian.gillissen@sanktgeorg.de
Gessner
C
C
Hammerschmidt
S
S
Hoheisel
G
G
Wirtz
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015163:Superinfection / Q000188:drug therapy; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents