There are many reasons why sputum is sticky in the elderly, such as chronic bronchitis, bronchial dilatation and lung cancer.
1. Chronic bronchitis: Chronic bronchitis in the elderly due to inflammatory stimulation, co-infection, etc., may appear sputum thick phenomenon, can be given bromhexine, aminobromine hydrochloride and other nebulized inhalation to promote sputum discharge as prescribed by the doctor, and give ampicillin, piperacillin, azithromycin, levofloxacin and other drugs to anti-infective treatment after the clarification of bacterial infections.
2. Bronchial dilatation: bronchial dilatation of elderly patients can be due to acute and chronic inflammation of the bronchial wall stimulation and damage resulting in phlegm thick phenomenon, such patients can follow the doctor’s instructions to use nebulizer inhalation therapy, such as budesonide combined with chymotrypsin, aminobromine expectorant, dilution of phlegm, and to promote the discharge.
Patients with infection can use drugs such as cefoperazone sodium sulbactam sodium and azithromycin to fight infection and reduce sputum production.
3. Lung cancer: Elderly patients with lung cancer may have increased respiratory secretions due to the stimulation of lung tissues by cancer cells, leading to the phenomenon of sticky sputum.
Such patients can be treated by surgery, radiotherapy and targeted drug therapy, such as pemetrexed, paclitaxel, carboplatin, gefitinib and so on.
There are many other reasons that can lead to the phenomenon of thick sputum in the elderly, and it is recommended that such patients consult regular hospitals to clarify the causes and actively deal with them. The above drugs should be used under the guidance of a physician.