Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the tracheobronchial mucosa caused by pathogenic infection, physical and chemical irritation, etc. It is self-limiting and symptoms can mostly improve with anti-infective or symptomatic treatment.
Patients with chronic bronchitis need to slow the progression of the disease by improving lifestyle (e.g. smoking cessation, reducing or avoiding triggers, nutritional support), promoting sputum evacuation, influenza and pneumococcal vaccination, combined with interventions such as symptomatic treatment with cough suppressant, sputum-relieving and bronchodilator drugs.