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 previous disease. Bronchitis itself is not particularly dangerous. The threat is the complications that may arise against its background.
Forms of bronchitis
Bronchitis comes in two forms. Acute is characteristic of colds. The inflammatory process begins with the nasopharynx, tonsils. Then it goes to the bronchi. With proper and timely treatment, the disease resolves 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 takes a long time. Constantly progressing, causing disturbances in the work of the bronchial tree. The disease proceeds with constant exacerbations and remissions. Chronic bronchitis is most often caused by smoking orrepeated inflammatory catarrhal processes.
Common complications after bronchitis
Complications may appear after illness. The most common is bronchopneumonia. Breathlessness may begin. The right ventricle of the heart increases in size, its muscle weakens, pains appear. After bronchitis, heart failure, shortness of breath and fainting may occur. Another serious complication is bronchiectasis. But most often pneumonia begins.
Attacks of suffocation provokes swelling of the mucosa. This can lead to bronchial asthma. In more severe cases, it is also complicated by allergies. If wheezing is observed on exhalation, it 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 species includes:
- emphysema;
- hemoptysis;
- cor pulmonale;
- diffuse pneumosclerosis;
- lung failure.
The most severe complication is acute respiratory failure. In this case, gas exchange disorders progress rapidly. Metabolism and respiration are disturbed. Dyspnea appears even whenlittle physical effort. Respiratory failure accompanied by:
- headaches;
- persistent hypercapnia;
- confusion;
- anorexic;
- convulsions;
- insomnia;
- excessive sweating;
- muscle twitches.
Pulmonary hypertension is accompanied by discomfort in the chest and heart. These areas often cause pain. Strong fluctuations in pulse and sinus tachycardia begin, pressure rises.
Emphysema is characterized by shortness of breath, muffled heart tones. The blood pressure rises and persists. Acute heart failure develops against the 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 a child has bronchitis more than three times a year, there is a prolonged cough. The disease becomes acute. 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 very pronounced and is manifested by a prolonged cough. Against the background of the underlying disease, bronchiolitis can form. The result is:
- mucosal edema;
- respiratory failure;
- emphysema;
- hemodynamic disorders;
- hypoxemia.
Complications of acute bronchitis in adults
Complications of acute bronchitis or other forms are generally the same. Nevertheless, there are also differences. The acute form of the disease is most often complicated by pneumonia or its manifestation in a focal form. At the same time, the walls of the bronchioles become inflamed, appear:
- chest pain;
- fever;
- fatigue;
- shortness of breath;
- wet or dry cough;
- headaches;
- weakness;
- dizziness.
In adults, bronchopneumonia is rare. An increased risk of complications occurs with the additional presence of diseases such as oncology, pathologies of internal organs and immunodeficiency states.
Complications of purulent bronchitis
Complications after purulent form of bronchitis begin due to infection in the blood and lymph. The main complications: pneumonia, general sepsis and damage to internal organs. Can develop simultaneously:
- 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 have arisen cannot be completely cured.
Complications of obstructive bronchitis
Smoking, working in hazardous conditions or air pollution can cause obstructive bronchitis. Complications are similar to some other forms of the underlying disease. First of all, there is a risk of pneumonia. This happens 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 pathology occurs against the background of bronchitis, he alth risks increase significantly. This 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 greatly. The state of he alth in general is greatly aggravated. Even after a slight physical effort, shortness of breath appears. Mucus appears in the lungs. Immediate treatment is required before the 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 greatly weakened. As a result, the acid-base balance is disturbed. There is decompensation of respiration, stagnation of blood. Its circulation throughout the body is disrupted. Heart failure is a rare form of complications. At the first symptoms, urgent hospitalization is necessary.
Asthmatic Syndrome
Asthmatic syndrome may appearboth in adults and in children. A complication appears quickly if bronchitis began against the background of an allergy or a viral infection. Troubled breathing turns into asthma attacks. This is a pre-asthma state. In asthmatic syndrome, changes occur that are difficult to prevent.
Emphysema
Treatment of all diseases is focused on the prevention of any complication. Bronchitis in a neglected inflammatory form can provoke the occurrence of emphysema. This disease has irreversible consequences due to the long-term narrowing of the airways.
Air circulation and gas exchange are disturbed in the lungs. Shortness of breath appears, the chest increases. The mucous membranes acquire a blue tint. This is a consequence of the lack of air. Shortness of breath manifests itself after heavy physical exertion. As emphysema progresses, it begins to occur without any provocative effort.
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 also affects the brain. An advanced form of complication can be fatal.
Asthma
Asthma has pronounced symptoms. Choking occurs most often at night, which increases the likelihood of death. Attacks are constantly aggravated by heart problems. There is respiratory failure. A large amount of sputum makes it difficult to breathe even with slow movement. With untimely treatment against the background of thiscomplications after bronchitis may occur several additional diseases.
Cor pulmonale
Cor pulmonale is a pathology that does not manifest itself in children. This is only the “adult” form of the complication. Bronchitis is first treated with medication. After improper therapy of the disease, a complication in the form of a cor pulmonale is formed. There is severe shortness of breath, which becomes more pronounced when the patient is in the supine state.
Head constantly hurts, the same sensations appear in the region of the heart. Negative symptoms cannot be removed even with medications. There is increased sweating. Fingertips and nail plates begin to thicken. The veins in the neck area are enlarged. With a neglected complication, myocardial tissues thicken, which aggravates heart failure. In the worst case, the disease leads to myocardial infarction.
Bronchial obstruction
Broncho-obstructive syndrome appears after the progression of the main initial disease. Dystrophic and degenerative processes begin due to inflammation and other external causes. Bronchial obstruction is formed from muscle hypertrophy, dystonia.
Swelling may appear, which contributes to negative changes in the mucous membranes. A rarer cause of complications is bronchial compression. The syndrome is extremely dangerous due to its rapid development.
Pulmonary hypertension
All diseases can have various complications. Bronchitis can cause pulmonary hypertension. It appears due to an untreated disease. Right ventricular failure and hypoxia begin.
Fatigue appears, rapid breathing and congestive prolonged wheezing. When a severe crisis is provoked, the likelihood of viral and other diseases increases.
Bronchitis treatment
It's best not to wait until a complication of bronchitis appears. The treatment of the disease, which occurs in an acute form, takes place in bed rest. A warm, plentiful drink with raspberries, honey, etc. is prescribed. Acetylsalicylic and ascorbic acids are taken.
Additionally needed vitamins, mustard plasters and cans on the chest. Medications for dry cough, expectorants are prescribed. Inhalations based on anise, eucalyptus oils, etc. are necessary. Antihistamines are prescribed, and as the disease progresses, antibiotics.
Complications of chronic bronchitis are treated depending on the occurrence of one of the above pathologies. Medications are prescribed, a strict diet is observed, breathing exercises are done, etc. With timely prescribed therapy, the prognosis is positive.
In order to avoid possible complications of bronchitis in adults and children, at the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor. Women and men are prohibited from taking alcoholic beverages during treatment, you can not smoke. Children, like adults, need to take a complex of vitamins to restore the immune system. Otherwise, the treatment for eacha person is strictly individual, depending on the characteristics of the organism.
