Assessment of Cough in Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

Cough is one of the major symptoms of respiratory diseases.
As coughing is a defensive reflex in the airway to expel sputum and noxious particles, basically it should not be suppressed by medication. However, progressive persistent cough requires specific treatment which should aim to improve the quality of the patient's life. To establish a diagnosis for patients who have chronic cough, assessment of the detailed medical history and appropriate testing should be implemented.
If anti-cough agents taken daily on a long-term basis fail to reduce chronic cough, doctors are encouraged to change the initial medications and focus on the respiratory disease characterized by an underlying hyper-responsiveness of the airway. In the case of patients whose diagnosis is not confirmed or who respond poorly to treatment, referral to health care professionals is recommended.