has anyone heard of asthmatic bronchitis?

Yes, it is an old term used for bronchitis with wheezing. It has fallen into disuse because it shouldn't be confused with asthma. Asthma has three components: bronchospasm, bronchial inflammation, and excess mucous production. A bronchitis has just the inflammation and excess mucous production. The wheezing is caused by the narrowing of the airways from the swelling and excess mucous as opposed to the bronchospasm seen in a patient with a history of asthma that has contracted a superimposed bronchial infection or irritation. This seems to be splitting hairs but it is an important distinction. Asthma is treated with bronchodilators, steroids and mucolytics. Whereas bronchitis is treated with mucolytics, steroids and an antibiotic. Bronchodilators are minimally useful with bronchitis simply because there is, generally, no bronchial muscle spasms. Most doctors will order bronchodilators as an adjunct therapy with bronchitis but as I said, it serves little purpose except for the mucolytic action of the saline that is the carrier for the bronchodilator. If the patient presents with a history of bronchitis but no history of asthma and the doctor feels, for whatever reason, that bronchodilators would be contraindicated, like it might interact with other medicines the patient is on, then they will forego the bronchodilators.

Older doctors and some younger ones, sometimes, will use the term "asthmatic bronchitis" as a description but not as a diagnosis. Back in the 60's and 70's the term was used a lot more than it is now.

There is an old saying in medicine: "All that wheezes is not asthma.".

God bless.

Of course. Asthma is called by many names. In this article it is referred to as obstructive but I have always taught it is restrictive then obstructive due to inflammation.

http://www.ehow.com/about_4614308_what-asthmatic-b...

I make no claim, as to accuracy of this website; but here is a link for you?