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Keys to therapeutic success include choosing the right device and drug regimen, providing rigorous patient education, and reducing environmental exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This RCT provided valuable insights as to whether CRP-guided prescribing could safely reduce antibiotic use during acute COPD exacerbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 78-year-old woman with complaints of fatigue, dry cough, and dyspnea lasting for two months. Medical history of the woman showed complications like chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), seizure order, and hypothyroidism. A chest x-ray revealed a bandlike opacity in her right lower lobe. The patient's intake of amiodarone was stopped when a diagnosis of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (APT) was made then a corticosteroid therapy was initiated.

BACKGROUND. The purpose of this study was to determine how family physicians in the United States diagnose acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy adults. METHODS. A 33-item questionnaire on the diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis was mailed to a random sample of 500 physicians who are members of the American Board of Family Practice. RESULTS. Two hundred sixty-five physicians responded. Of those who did hot respond, 32 could not be located. Of those who did respond, 10 were either retired or were practicing in another specialty. The net response rate was 56% (255/458). Responding physicians stated that character of cough and sputum production are the most important items used in diagnosing acute bronchitis. Fifty-eight percent indicated that the cough should be productive, and 60% stated that the sputum should be purulent. Seventy-two percent of respondents did not feel that wheezing or rhonchi need to be present. Younger physicians and those who selected antibiotics as their first treatment choice were more likely to define acute bronchitis as the presence of a productive cough with purulent sputum (P<.05). Physicians from an academic setting were more likely to define acute bronchitis as a productive cough (P<.05). Thirty-six percent of physicians from practices serving populations with ≥60% managed care patients included wheezing or rhonchi in the definition of acute bronchitis, compared with 26% of all others (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS. Variations in the diagnosis of acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy adults can be attributed to physician age, treatment choice, and practice setting. A significant number of family physicians did not require a productive cough as part of the diagnostic criteria for acute bronchitis. This finding needs to be considered in studies evaluating treatment. Additional qualitative studies are necessary to identify other factors involved in diagnosing acute bronchitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of 55-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) brought to the emergency department (ED) because of progressive shortness of breath, cough, and sputum production. The importance of using oral glucocorticoids in the management of acute COPD exacerbations is outlined. The article also highlights the prescription of a 5-day regimen of glucocorticoid therapy for acute COPD exacerbations.

This article presents a study, which seeks to examine whether inhaled beta-agonists control cough in upper respiratory infections or acute bronchitis. It notes that even without a history of lung disease, patients presenting with cough due to acute respiratory illness and with evidence of airflow obstruction appear to receive symptom relief from inhaled beta-agonists. Smokers may be another subgroup who benefit from treatment. However, important patient-oriented outcomes do not improve. If using inhaled albuterol to treat acute cough in practice, one must also consider the financial costs and adverse effects associated with treatment.