For patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic
bronchitis, therapy with short-acting agonists or
anticholinergic bronchodilators should be administered during the acute exacerbation. In addition, a short course of systemic corticosteroid therapy may be given and has been proven to be effective.
In acute bronchitis, treatment with beta2-agonist bronchodilators may be useful in patients who have associated wheezing with cough and underlying lung disease. Little evidence indicates that the routine use of beta2-agonists is otherwise helpful in adults with acute cough.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful in treating constitutional symptoms of acute bronchitis, including mild-to-moderate pain. Albuterol and
guaifenesin products treat cough, dyspnea, and wheezing.
In patients with chronic bronchitis or chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), treatment with mucolytics has been associated with a small reduction in acute exacerbations and a reduction in the total number of days of
disability. This benefit may be greater in individuals who have frequent or prolonged exacerbations with antiboitic therapy.