Cases of acute bronchitis registers tremendous rise

Islamabad:The incidence of acute bronchitis has registered a tremendous increase in the last one month or so particularly after an extreme fall in mercury in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and adjoining areas.

Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that both the private and public sector healthcare facilities in this region of the country are receiving a heavy influx of patients with acute bronchitis and asthma complications.

Acute bronchitis, also known as chest cold is inflammation of the main airways of the lungs with symptoms including cough, wheezing, fever, shortness of breath and chest discomfort that generally lasts from few days to two to three weeks in most of the cases however in some cases, the symptoms may last longer. Studies reveal that in some cases of acute bronchitis, the cough may linger for weeks.

Health experts say that a good number of patients reaching healthcare facilities with respiratory distress are with asthma or acute bronchitis however many of the patients are diagnosed as overlapped cases of asthma and bronchitis.

It is important that acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses like colds and flu, influenza and that is why antibiotics are not effective in most of the cases of bronchitis.

Studies reveal that bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs. People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be clear, white, yellowish grey, or green in colour. Often developing from a cold or other respiratory infection, acute bronchitis is very common.

If you have repeated bouts of bronchitis, you may have chronic bronchitis, which requires medical attention. Chronic bronchitis is one of the conditions included in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

According to health experts serving at the public sector healthcare facilities in the twin cities, the number of cases of acute bronchitis is on the rise mainly because of extreme fall in mercury and careless attitude of patients suffering from asthma.

Majority of patients with acute bronchitis or with complications of asthma reach hospitals after developing severe symptoms that shows carelessness on the part of the patients. Also it is observed that most of the patients have little awareness about what serious damages, the acute bronchitis and severe asthma can cause. Experts say that late presentation of patients makes condition serious in nature.

Experts say that a major factor behind increase in the number of cases of bronchitis is that the majority of our population does not opt for vaccinations against flu and pneumonia. Even patients with pre-existing lung diseases do not give much attention to vaccination. Also most of the patients with respiratory tract infections do not follow quarantine or isolation at home that results in the spread of the disease.

Experts say that self-medication is another cause behind the rise in the number of cases with complications of asthma and bronchitis as unnecessary use of broad spectrum antibiotics without prescription from a qualified doctor results in multidrug resistant infections.