After many diseases, various complications can occur. Bronchitis is a diffuse inflammatory disease. It affects the bronchial mucosa. Their inflammation or damage occurs as an independent process, or as a complication of a disease. Bronchitis itself is not particularly scary. The threat is represented by complications that may arise against its background.
Forms of bronchitis
Bronchitis comes in two forms. Acute is typical for colds. The inflammatory process begins with the nasopharynx, tonsils. Then goes to the bronchi. With proper and timely treatment, the disease disappears within 3-4 weeks. Children are most often affected by acute bronchitis. With a regularly recurring disease, it develops into a second form - chronic.
In this case, inflammation lasts a long time. Constantly progressing, causing disturbances in the bronchial tree. The disease proceeds with constant exacerbations and remissions. Most often, chronic bronchitis occurs due to smoking or repeatedly transferred inflammatory colds.
Common complications after bronchitis
After the disease, complications may appear. Most often, bronchopneumonia occurs. Choking attacks may begin. The right ventricle of the heart increases in size, its muscle weakens, and pains appear. After bronchitis, heart failure, shortness of breath and fainting may appear. Another serious complication is bronchiectasis. But most often pneumonia begins.
Attacks of suffocation provoke swelling of the mucous membrane. This can lead to bronchial asthma. In more severe cases, it is also complicated by allergies. If wheezing, labored breathing is observed on expiration, this is called bronchial obstruction. Due to air obstruction, emphysema begins. Their subsequent deformation leads to diffuse pneumosclerosis.
Complications of Chronic Bronchitis
Complications of chronic bronchitis are divided into two main groups. The first is due to infections. This type includes pneumonia, bronchiectosis, asthmatic and bronchospastic components. The second group is due to the progression of the underlying disease. This type includes:
- emphysema;
- hemoptysis;
- pulmonary heart;
- diffuse pneumosclerosis;
- pulmonary failure.
The most serious complication is acute respiratory failure. In this case, gas exchange disorders progress rapidly. Metabolism and respiration are disturbed. Shortness of breath appears even with little physical effort. Respiratory failure is accompanied by:
- headaches;
- persistent hypercapnia;
- confusion of consciousness;
- anorexia;
- cramps
- insomnia;
- excessive sweating;
- muscle twitches.
Pulmonary hypertension is accompanied by discomfort in the chest and heart. In these areas, pain often occurs. Strong pulse drops and sinus tachycardia begin, pressure rises.
Emphysema is characterized by shortness of breath, muffled heart sounds. Blood pressure rises and stays steady. Acute heart failure develops against a background of infections, with exudative pleurisy, spontaneous pneumothorax, or pulmonary embolism. If acute pneumonia also joins, this significantly worsens the clinical picture of the underlying disease.
Complications of acute bronchitis in children
If bronchitis occurs in a child more than three times a year, a prolonged cough is observed. The disease goes into acute form. Complications of bronchitis in children develop most often against the background of abnormalities of the pulmonary system, immunodeficiency, asthma, hereditary pathologies of the respiratory system, etc.
Against the background of acute bronchitis, rhinitis, tracheitis, laryngitis appear. Intoxication is not pronounced and is manifested by a prolonged cough. Against the background of the underlying disease, bronchiolitis can form. The result is:
- swelling of the mucosa;
- respiratory failure;
- emphysema;
- hemodynamic disorders;
- hypoxemia.
Complications of acute bronchitis in adults
Complications of acute bronchitis or other forms, in general, coincide. However, there are differences. The acute form of the disease is most often complicated by pneumonia or its manifestation in a focal form. In this case, the walls of the bronchioles become inflamed, appear:
- chest pain
- fever;
- fast fatiguability;
- dyspnea;
- wet or dry cough;
- headache;
- weakness;
- dizziness.
In adults, bronchopneumonia rarely appears. An increased risk of complications arises with the additional presence of diseases such as oncology, pathologies of internal organs and immunodeficiency states.
Complications of purulent bronchitis
Complications after purulent form bronchitis begin due to infection in the blood and lymph. The main complications: pneumonia, general sepsis and damage to internal organs. At the same time can develop:
- endo-, myo- or pericarditis;
- glomerulonephritis;
- generalized vasculitis.
Complications of the purulent form of bronchitis are very dangerous for both children and adults. Sometimes the diseases that arose cannot be completely cured.
Complications of Obstructive Bronchitis
Due to smoking, working in hazardous conditions or air pollution, obstructive bronchitis may begin . Complications are similar to some other forms of the underlying disease. First of all, there is a risk of pneumonia. This is due to infection in the body. It can also appear in the form of complications and acute respiratory failure. Its occurrence is most often due to the presence of a viral or bacterial infection.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a complication of bronchitis. Otherwise, pneumonia, which in itself is not very dangerous if the treatment is prescribed in a timely manner. But when a pathology occurs against a background of bronchitis, health risks increase significantly. Such a complication can be fatal.
With pneumonia, the patient is constantly tormented by a cough. Then exacerbations of the disease begin, during which the temperature rises sharply. The overall health condition is greatly aggravated. Even after a little physical effort, shortness of breath appears. Mucus appears in the lungs. Immediate treatment is required until inflammation has spread throughout the body.
Heart failure
Heart failure is another serious complication of bronchitis. There is a lack of air in the blood. The heart muscle is very weak. As a result, the acid-base balance is disturbed. There is decompensation of respiration, stagnation of blood. Its circulation is disturbed throughout the body. Heart failure is a rare form of complication. At its first symptoms, urgent hospitalization is necessary.
Asthmatic syndrome
Asthmatic syndrome can occur in both adults and children. A complication appears quickly if bronchitis begins with allergies or a viral infection. Problem breathing turns into asthma attacks. This is a predastamatic condition. With asthmatic syndrome, changes occur that are quite difficult to prevent.
Emphysema
The treatment of all diseases is focused on the prevention of any complication. Bronchitis in an advanced inflammatory form can provoke the occurrence of emphysema. This disease has irreversible consequences due to a long narrowing of the airways.
In the lungs, air circulation and gas exchange are disturbed. Shortness of breath appears, the chest increases. Mucous membranes acquire a blue tint. This is due to lack of air. Shortness of breath manifests itself after heavy physical exertion. As the progression of emphysema begin to occur without any provocative efforts.
As a result of the complication, breathing, the work of the heart and other important internal organs are disturbed. They begin to feel oxygen starvation, which affects the brain. An advanced form of complication can be fatal.
Bronchial asthma
Bronchial asthma has pronounced symptoms. Choking occurs most often at night, which increases the likelihood of death. Attacks are constantly aggravated by heart problems. Respiratory failure appears. A large amount of sputum makes it difficult to breathe even with slow movement. With untimely treatment, against the background of this complication, several additional diseases may occur after bronchitis.
Pulmonary heart
Pulmonary heart disease is a pathology that does not occur in children. This is only an “adult” form of complication. Bronchitis is first treated with medication. After improper treatment of the disease, a complication in the form of a pulmonary heart forms. There is severe shortness of breath, which becomes more pronounced when the patient is lying down.
The head constantly hurts, the same sensations appear in the region of the heart. Negative symptoms can not be removed even with drugs. Sweating appears. Fingertips and nail plates begin to thicken. Veins increase in the neck. With a running complication, myocardial tissue thickens, which exacerbates heart failure. In the worst case, the disease leads to myocardial infarction.
Bronchial obstruction
Broncho obstructive syndrome appears after the progression of the underlying initial disease. Dystrophic and degenerative processes begin, resulting from inflammation and other external causes. Obstruction of the bronchi is formed from muscle hypertrophy, dystonia.
Swelling may occur, which contributes to negative changes in the mucous membranes. A rarer cause of complication is compression of the bronchi. The syndrome is extremely dangerous due to its rapid development.
Pulmonary hypertension
All diseases can have various complications. Bronchitis can trigger pulmonary hypertension. It appears due to an untreated disease. Right-type insufficiency and hypoxia begin.
Fatigue, rapid breathing and congestive prolonged wheezing appear. With a severe crisis provoked, the likelihood of viral and other diseases increases.
Bronchitis treatment
It is best not to wait until a complication of bronchitis occurs. The treatment of the disease, proceeding in acute form, takes place in bed. A generous warm drink with raspberries, honey, etc. is prescribed. Acetylsalicylic and ascorbic acids are accepted.
Additionally, vitamins, mustard plasters and jars on the chest are needed. Dry cough medications, expectorants are prescribed. Inhalations based on anise, eucalyptus oils, etc. are needed. Antihistamines are prescribed, and when the disease progresses, antibiotics are prescribed.
Complications of chronic bronchitis are treated depending on the appearance of one of the above pathologies. Medications are prescribed, a strict diet is followed, breathing exercises are done, etc. With timely prescribed therapy, the prognosis is positive.
In order to avoid a possible complication of bronchitis in adults and children, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease. During treatment, women and men are forbidden to drink alcohol; they should not smoke. Children, like adults, need to take a complex of vitamins to restore the immune system. The rest of the treatment for each person is strictly individual, depending on the characteristics of the body.