Over 14 million cases of chronic bronchitis are reported annually of which 10.7 million of these cases affect Americans under age 45. Bronchitis is defined as an inflammation of the bronchi, the main air passages to the lungs. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma as a group are the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. Chronic bronchitis is a condition characterized by a daily cough and an excess of mucus. It is a long-term condition, lasting for at least three consecutive months, and is primarily caused by cigarette smoke. The severity of the disease relates to the amount and duration of exposure to smoke and other irritants.
Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation which generally follows a respiratory infection.
Symptoms of bronchitis are usually treated with an antibiotic, like Dynabac. Zagam is a respiratory quinolone used to treat pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that pneumonia is responsible for more then 83,000 deaths annually, with over 5.1 million new cases reported each year. Pneumonia, or bacterial pneumonia, is an inflammation of one or both lungs caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Because pneumonia affects lung functioning, people who smoke, who have asthma or weakened immune systems may be more susceptible to contracting the bacteria that causes pneumonia.