Chronic bronchitis is a prolonged manifestation occurring from swelling of bronchi, which leads to increased production of mucous blocking the airflow into the lungs. To be labeled chronic bronchitis certain fixed rules have to be adhered to these are:

-For two years in a row cough with expectoration for at least of a period exceeding three months.

-Other lung pathologies must have been ruled out.

The most common problem that a patient is affected with is the shortness of breath so much so that it affects day to day activities.

One of the commonest factors causing chronic bronchitis is smoking, and smokers have a high susceptibility of the same. In the initial stages of the condition, the patient is troubled by severe cough in early hours of the day, but as the pathology of the condition changes towards long term is afflicted with continued bouts of cough with expectoration of mucus. This occurrence in layman terms] is known as smokers cough.

In the inchoate periods of the condition the broader air ducts are affected, but in time even the smaller air ducts are affected. As the chronic bronchitis reaches this stage the sufferer's VP ratio (ventilation perfusion ratio) balance is affected i.e the ratio between inspiration and expiration. The results of this abnormal VP ratio lead to various problems like decreased amount of dissolved oxygen in blood or hypoxemia causing further complications like increased effort of breathing which if not checked eventually leads to cor pulmonale.

As compared to acute bronchitis chronic bronchitis as the name suggests is a grave condition, the patients suffering from acute bronchitis responds well to antihistamines and antibiotics but the same holds true for chronic bronchitis because of enhanced chances of reoccurring bacterial and fungal infections.

Hence the patients affected by chronic bronchitis are advised to take care of themselves and inform about the minutest of difficulties and get admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals till the condition improves.

As the disease advances there is decreased ciliary motility hence the difficulty in coughing out the mucous, this coupled with swelling of bronchi leads to reduced safety against air borne and droplet germs.

Chronic bronchitis is a difficult condition often occurring in tandem with other respiratory ailments like emphysema and asthma. And in later stages of chronic bronchitis coupled with emphysema there is an overall decrease in the dead space volume and the condition may manifest blue bloaters in which the whole skin has a bluish tinge or cyanosis for want of oxygen.

Chronic bronchitis as a respiratory condition progresses slowly but unfortunately it has no cure and the only treatments are directed in towards relieving of presenting symptoms.