Who Is At Risk for Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a very common condition. Millions of cases occur every year.

Elderly people, infants, and young children are at higher risk for acute bronchitis than people in other age groups. People of all ages can get chronic bronchitis, but it occurs more often in people who are older than 45. Women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis as men.

Smoking and having an existing lung disease greatly increase your risk for bronchitis. Contact with chemical fumes, vapors, and dusts from certain jobs—such as those in coal mining, textile manufacturing, and grain handling—also increases your risk for the condition.

Air pollution, infections, and allergies can worsen the symptoms of chronic bronchitis, especially if you smoke.