Acute bronchitis is the most likely disorder associated with the patient’s condition. It is the inflammation or an infection of the patient’s bronchi or the airway (Singh et al., 2017). The symptoms comprise a deep chronic cough that lasts for several weeks, fever, lack of energy, production of sputum when coughing, and experiencing chest discomfort. Acute bronchitis pathology consists of an inflammatory mononuclear cell infiltrate in the walls of the airway as well as the neutrophil influx into the airway lumen (Singh et al., 2017). As a result, the air passage then becomes clogged, and there is increased irritation. In response, copious secretion of mucus develops, which causes the characteristic cough of acute bronchitis.
A patient with bronchitis presents with a productive cough, wheezing, malaise, and experiencing breathing difficulties. Normally, this begins with a dry cough followed by the production of some clear or white sputum (Singh et al., 2017). With time, the patient might start to cough green and yellow sputum, signifying that the illness is now moving from viral to bacterial; coughing normally lasts for four weeks (Singh et al., 2017). The most commonly identified cause of bronchitis is cigarette smoking. Other factors that cause this respiratory disorder comprise air pollution and dust in the environment, which can also contribute to the occurrence of this disease (Singh et al., 2017). Bronchitis risk factors comprise exposure to cigarette smoke, exposure to irritants at the workplace, and gastric reflux.
Age greatly influences bronchitis because this disease mostly occurs in children below two years, with the other peak evident among those aged 9-15 years (Singh et al., 2017). Acute bronchitis infects people of all ages but is most common among individuals above 45 years (Singh et al., 2017). Certain behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes, increase the risk of contracting bronchitis (Singh et al., 2017). Additionally, exposure to other lung irritants such as polluted air, dust from the environment, and chemical fumes increases the chances of acute bronchitis infections.
Reference
Singh, A., Avula, A., & Zahn, E. (2017). Acute Bronchitis. Web.