Chronic Bronchitis Make an Appointment Find a Doctor Ask a Question Reviewed by Barry J. Make, MD, Irina Petrache, MD (September 01, 2016) Chronic Bronchitis is a disease, often call Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). A person with COPD may have either emphysema or chronic bronchitis, but many have both. Some people with COPD may also have asthma. Let’s take a look inside the lungs to see what is happening. Look at the healthy airway. Air moves in and out of the middle of the airway. Now look at the airway of chronic bronchitis. In chronic bronchitis, the airway walls are swollen and produce more mucus. In chronic bronchitis a person has a chronic productive cough. This is often due to cigarette smoking. Programs & Services COPD Program Respiratory Treatment Programs Clinical Trials For more than 100 years, National Jewish Health has been committed to finding new treatments and cures for diseases. Search our clinical trials.
Reviewed by Barry J. Make, MD, Irina Petrache, MD (September 01, 2016) Chronic Bronchitis is a disease, often call Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). A person with COPD may have either emphysema or chronic bronchitis, but many have both. Some people with COPD may also have asthma. Let’s take a look inside the lungs to see what is happening. Look at the healthy airway. Air moves in and out of the middle of the airway. Now look at the airway of chronic bronchitis. In chronic bronchitis, the airway walls are swollen and produce more mucus. In chronic bronchitis a person has a chronic productive cough. This is often due to cigarette smoking.