What Is Bronchitis?
8. Supportive Care
The goal of therapy for patients with bronchitis would be alleviation of symptoms. For acute bronchitis, care is generally supportive and the patient should be ensured to be oxygenating adequately. Other recommendations include bed rest, avoidance of cigarette smoke, and staying in an environment without irritants.
The influenza vaccination is also recommended to decrease the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, which then in turn reduces the likelihood of acute bacterial bronchitis. While primary care physicians are generally well-equipped to treat acute bronchitis, referral to infectious disease specialists or pulmonary medicine specialists is recommended if the patient has immunodeficiency or underlying pulmonary disease.
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