Chronic bronchitis is suggested in long-term smokers when cough and sputum symptoms persist for more than 2 years and cumulatively for more than 3 months per year, excluding other diseases.
However, it is important to note that if symptoms of shortness of breath after activity are present, it is not necessarily a case of simple chronic bronchitis. At this point, patients need to be alert for the presence of respiratory or cardiovascular diseases such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. and need to seek prompt medical attention to improve pulmonary function, chest imaging or cardiac ultrasound to clarify the diagnosis.