Which antibiotics help with bronchitis?

introduction

Many patients suffer from flu-like infections, especially in the winter months. Over time, these can affect the lower respiratory tract and cause bronchitis.
Doctors very often prescribe antibiotics, although up to 90% of bronchitis is caused by viruses and therefore does not respond to antibiotics. This is a major problem and should be avoided at all costs.

Guideline on the use of antibiotics for bronchitis

The guidelines for the treatment of acute bronchitis usually do not provide for antibiotic therapy, as most infections are triggered by viruses and antibiotics have no effect on them. Instead, attention should be paid to general measures such as adequate fluid intake, as this makes it easier to cough up the secretion.

The reason why doctors prescribe antibiotics to their patients despite these findings is, according to the guidelines, the assumption that the patients have expectations on the part of the doctors. Because the doctor thinks that the patient is expecting a corresponding prescription from him, he carries out this inappropriate therapy arrangement.

Nevertheless, there are also cases of bronchitis for which antibiotic therapy can be useful. This applies, for example, if a bacterial pathogen has been proven beyond doubt or if the patient suffers from serious underlying diseases. Antibiotic therapy can also be used to prevent bacterial superinfection.

In the case of long-lasting, severe disease that lasts more than a week, antibiotic therapy can also be considered depending on the individual case.

Read on below: Treatment with antibiotics

What antibiotics are used for bronchitis?

The use of antibiotics for bronchitis should always be carefully considered by a doctor, as it is often a viral infection of the bronchi, in which the use of antibiotics is not effective.

But when antibiotics have to be used, aminopenicillins such as amoxicillin are used.Antibiotics from the macrolide class (such as clarithromycin or roxithromycin) or group III or IV fluoroquinolones are used if there is an allergy or intolerance to penicillins or if an infection by atypical pathogens is suspected.

For patients who also suffer from certain underlying diseases (such as chronic diseases of the lungs or heart failure), the drug of choice is an aminopenicillin in combination with a so-called beta-lactamase inhibitor (e.g. amoxicillin / clavulanic acid).

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Duration of antibiotic use for bronchitis

Depending on the selected antibiotic, the preparation should usually be taken over a period of five to seven days.
It is important to take the medication regularly during this period, in sufficient doses and with plenty of water, and always take the entire prescribed pack.

When does bronchitis improve after antibiotics?

How quickly the symptoms improve after taking an antibiotic cannot generally be said, as it is always an individual medical history with different basic requirements.

It depends on whether it is primarily bacterial bronchitis or a bacterial secondary infection (so-called superinfection) from a disease originally caused by viruses. In such a case, the antibiotic only works against the bacterial infection and influences recovery in the sense that the body's own immune system can deal better with the viruses after fighting the bacteria.

In addition, it depends on how old the patient is, what state of health he is in and what secondary diseases he may still have. Because of all these factors influencing the individual course of the disease, it is difficult to make a precise statement about the improvement in bronchitis symptoms after taking antibiotics.

In an uncomplicated case it could be said that after two to three days of antibiotics at the earliest, there should be some relief of symptoms.

Learn more about the general course of the disease at: Bronchitis

Side effects from antibiotics in bronchitis

Since antibiotics not only attack the disease-causing or pathogenic bacteria, but also beneficial bacterial strains in our body, ingestion can lead to corresponding side effects. For example, the bacteria in the intestinal flora, which play an important role in the digestive process, or the lactic acid bacteria in the vagina are often affected. These have the function of maintaining an acidic pH level in the vagina.

Because of these important functions for our body, gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhea or flatulence or a fungal infection of the vagina can occur after taking antibiotics.
In addition to these relatively common side effects, there is a wide variety of other possible side effects in the context of antibiotic therapy, which can occur but are extremely rare. More details can be found in the package insert.

Learn more at: These are the side effects of antibiotics

How long is bronchitis contagious with antibiotic?

Even after taking an antibiotic, bronchitis is contagious for a period of time. This period cannot be given a general term and depends on the one hand on the type of pathogen and on the other hand on the given antibiotic.
It can be assumed that there is a risk of infection for others between 24 and 48 hours after the start of taking antibiotics.

But caution is advised with this statement too, as it behaves differently in the case of a bacterial superinfection (second infection by bacteria after bronchitis originally caused by viruses). In such a case, it may be possible that after taking antibiotics there is no longer any risk of infection for the bacteria - but the risk of the originally disease-causing viruses still exists.

For these reasons, no general statement can be made about the risk of infection from bronchitis after antibiotics.

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Antibiotic for bronchitis does not work

In most cases, antibiotics do not bring about any clinical improvement in bronchitis, as they only help against bacteria. Most bronchitis, however, is caused by viruses, so antibiotics are completely useless.

Instead, patients with bronchitis are better helped with simple home remedies. For example, you should drink enough to make the tough secretions in the airways more fluid and thus make it easier to cough up. If necessary, expectorants can be used.

Taking cough suppressants does not necessarily make sense, as coughing up the mucus helps clear the airways. By suppressing the coughing stimulus, the infectious secretion is not removed from the airways and the healing of the bronchitis can be delayed.

As a rule, bronchitis heals on its own within a few weeks through rest and physical protection.

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• Gargling for a sore throat
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Consequences of unnecessary antibiotic therapy in bronchitis

Antibiotic therapy that is not effective for viral infections can have unpleasant consequences. Antibiotics also kill the beneficial bacteria in the body. Since the intestines in particular are home to many of these beneficial bacteria, the intestinal flora is often severely disturbed by antibiotics. Some patients subsequently develop intestinal infections such as pseudomembranous colitis pathogenic bacteria (for example Clostridium difficile) or fungal infections in the genital / anal area.

Another problem is the development of resistance. Through unnecessary antibiotic therapies, bacteria develop defense mechanisms against antibiotics and can be resistant to this preparation during subsequent therapy. If the patient really needs an antibiotic at a later point in time, it may no longer work. This is a major problem. Therefore, unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions must be avoided in the medical practice.

Also find out about: Antibiotic resistance

Causes of Bronchitis

Bronchitis causes inflammation of the larger airways in the lungs - the bronchi. As a rule, there is a viral infection that leads to viral bronchitis. It mostly descends from the upper airways into the deep airways. Therefore, most patients suffer from a common respiratory tract infection before they develop bronchitis.

Bacteria are also a possible cause of bronchitis, but are much less common than viruses. Only about one in ten bronchitis is caused by bacteria. However, it is possible that bacterial colonization may add to bronchitis that was previously purely viral. This phenomenon is known as superinfection. Because the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes is attacked by the virus, it becomes more permeable and can then also serve as a gateway for bacteria.

Bronchitis also occurs more easily if the airways are already damaged by an underlying disease, for example in the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, cystic fibrosis or other respiratory diseases.
Furthermore, bronchitis can be promoted by pollutants in the air, very cold or dry, warm air and irritant gases.

Duration of bronchitis

Bronchitis usually heals on its own within a few weeks. An acute course usually shows a significant improvement within two weeks, but the cough can extend over a longer period of time. Since most bronchitis are caused by viral infections, antibiotics do not make sense. It does not shorten the course of the disease.

However, if an antibiotic is used in the case of bacterial bronchitis or severe underlying illnesses in the patient, the administration usually takes five to seven or seven to ten days, depending on the preparation chosen.

For more information, also read:

• Duration of bronchitis
• Chronic bronchitis

How long is bronchitis contagious?

Viral bronchitis is usually contagious for as long as the patient is coughing. Coughing causes pathogens to be expelled in the air and distributed in the room. Since antibiotics do not help against viruses, they also do not reduce the risk of infection with viral bronchitis.

The best measure to avoid infection is therefore to avoid close contact with sick people and to wash your hands regularly during the cold season. Many people get infections through their hands when they touch previously contaminated surfaces and then touch their faces. Many infections can therefore be avoided by simple hygiene measures.

However, it is possible at any time to become infected through a droplet infection. If the cough subsides, fewer pathogens are expelled. This significantly reduces the risk of infecting other people.

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