Bronchitis

: Inflammation and swelling of the bronchi. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic. Chronic bronchitis usually is defined clinically as a daily cough with production of sputum for 3 months, two years in a row. In chronic bronchitis, there is inflammation and swelling of the lining of the airways that lead to narrowing and obstruction of the airways. The inflammation stimulates production of mucous (sputum), which can cause further obstruction of the airways. Obstruction of the airways, especially with mucus, increases the likelihood of bacterial lung infections.

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Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes.

- asthmatic b. b. that causes or aggravates bronchospasm.

- Castellani b. SYN: hemorrhagic b..

- chronic b. a condition of the bronchial tree characterized by cough, hypersecretion of mucus, and expectoration of sputum over a long period of time, associated with frequent bronchial infections; usually due to inhalation, over a prolonged period, of air contaminated by dust or by noxious gases of combustion.

- croupous b. obsolete term for fibrinous b..

- fibrinous b. inflammation of the bronchial mucous membrane, accompanied by a fibrinous exudation, which often forms a cast of the bronchial tree with severe obstruction of air flow. SYN: plastic b., pseudomembranous b..

- hemorrhagic b. chronic b. due to infection with spirochetes (though other bacteria are usually present and contribute to the infection) and characterized by cough and bloody sputum. SYN: bronchopulmonary spirochetosis, bronchospirochetosis, Castellani b..

- obliterative b., b. obliterans fibrinous b. in which the exudate becomes organized, obliterating the affected portion of the bronchial tubes with consequent permanent collapse of affected portions of the lung.

- plastic b. SYN: fibrinous b..

- pseudomembranous b. SYN: fibrinous b..

- putrid b. b. accompanied by an expectoration of foul-smelling sputum.

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bron·chi·tis brän-'kīt-əs, bräŋ- n acute or chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes also a disease marked by this

bron·chit·ic -'kit-ik adj

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n.

inflammation of the bronchi (see bronchus). Acute bronchitis is caused by viruses or bacteria and is characterized by coughing, the production of mucopurulent sputum, and narrowing of the bronchi due to spasmodic contraction (see bronchospasm). In chronic bronchitis the patient coughs up excessive mucus secreted by enlarged bronchial mucous glands; the bronchospasm cannot always be relieved by bronchodilator drugs. It is not primarily an inflammatory condition, although it is frequently complicated by acute infections. The disease is particularly prevalent in Britain in association with cigarette smoking, air pollution, and emphysema.

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bron·chi·tis (brong-kiґtis) [bronch- + -itis] inflammation of a bronchus or bronchi; there are both acute and chronic varieties. Symptoms usually include fever, coughing, and expectoration. Chronic forms may involve secondary changes to lung tissue. See also chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, under disease. bronchitic adj