CHRONIC COUGH

Course overview

COUGH IS A NATURAL DEFENSE MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS CLEARANCE OF BRONCHIAL TREE SECRETIONS AND THE ELIMINATION OF INHALED FOREIGN PARTICLES. IT IS A COMMON RESPIRATORY SYMPTOM FOR DISEASES THAT ARE EITHER APPARENT OR COVERT AND CAN PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SUFFERING FOR PATIENTS AND A DIAGNOSTIC DILEMMA FOR CLINICIANS. AN ACUTE COUGH THAT IS CAUSED BY A KNOWN CAUSE IS DEALT WITH BY MANAGING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE. HERE, THE DISCUSSION WILL FOCUS ONLY ON COUGH AS THE ONLY SYMPTOM WITHOUT THE CLEAR PRESENCE OF AN ETIOLOGY. THIS COULD BE EITHER A SUBACUTE (4-8 WEEKS) OR A CHRONIC COUGH (8 WEEKS). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT/PREVENTION OF CHRONIC COUGHS, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.