Bronchiectasis

What is Bronchiectasis ❓

 A long term persistent disease of the airways 📆

 The airways become abnormally widened/dilated

 Causes: inflammatory damage to the airways due to infection (e.g. pneumonia), injury, tumors, defects, or some diseases (e.g. COPD) 🤕

What are the Symptoms of Bronchiectasis ❓

 Breathlessness/chest pain/wheezing 💨

 Abnormal breathing noises

 Persistent coughing 🗣

 High amount of mucus (containing pus)

 Bad breath 🤢

How do you Diagnose Bronchiectasis ❓

 Patient symptom & history assessment 📋

 Respiratory function tests

 Clinical testing (e.g. mucus culture, blood count, imaging) 🧫

How do you Treat Bronchiectasis ❓

 Advice & support (e.g. techniques to help clear airways) 👩‍⚕️

 Bronchodilators to help draining & breathing (beta-2 agonists)

 Antibiotic treatment when necessary 💊

Why should I Worry about Bronchiectasis ❓

 Can be severe and reduce life quality & expectancy

 Infections can increase the risks of complications 📈

 Complications may be serious (e.g. coughing blood, stroke) 🚨