LRTI
Medical abbreviation · Respiratory
| Stands for | Lower respiratory tract infection |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
LRTI stands for Lower respiratory tract infection, a respiratory abbreviation.
Infection below the larynx, including acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia and infective exacerbations of chronic lung disease. Lower respiratory infections are among the leading infectious causes of death worldwide, particularly in young children and older adults.
Example: LRTI in an 80-year-old with productive cough and crackles at the right base; chest x-ray to exclude pneumonia.
Usage notes
Clinicians use LRTI as a broad term when the precise diagnosis is uncertain; distinguishing pneumonia, which needs antibiotics, from acute bronchitis, which usually does not, is the main practical question. Procalcitonin and chest imaging help guide antibiotic decisions. Global burden studies report lower respiratory infections as a single category.
Related abbreviations
More respiratory abbreviations
- iNO – Inhaled nitric oxide
- IPF – Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- LABA – Long-acting beta2-agonist
- LAMA – Long-acting muscarinic antagonist
- LLL – Left lower lobe
- LPM – Liters per minute
- LTOT – Long-term oxygen therapy
- LUL – Left upper lobe
- MART – Maintenance and reliever therapy
- MV – Mechanical ventilation
- NC – Nasal cannula
- NIPPV – Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.