Chronic bronchitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lungs

Bronchitis

Lung anatomy

Bronchitis and Normal Condition in Tertiary Bronchus

Chronic bronchitis

Definition:

Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, the main air passages in the lungs, which persists for a long period or repeatedly recurs.

The condition is characterized by excessive bronchial mucus and a productive cough that produces sputum for 3 months or more in at least 2 consecutive years, without any other disease that could account for this symptom.

Alternative Names:

Bronchitis - chronic

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cigarette smoking is the main cause. The longer and heavier a person smokes, the more likely it becomes that the person will get bronchitis and that the bronchitis will be severe. Secondhand smoke may also cause chronic bronchitis. Air pollution, infection, and allergies make it worse.

Chronic bronchitis is one form of chronic obstructive pulmonary (lung) disease. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma as a group are a leading cause of death in the U.S.

Review Date: 8/6/2004
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, D.O., Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University Hospital, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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