title: [Acute bronchitis: when are antibiotics, and when is symptomatic treatment indicated?].
abstract: 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).
authors.affiliation: Robert-Koch-Klinik, Klinikum "St. Georg", Leipzig. adrian.gillissen@sanktgeorg.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gillissen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gessner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammerschmidt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoheisel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wirtz
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents