Abstract
A cough is a common diagnostic and therapeutic problem. The three categories of coughing are acute, lasting less than 3 weeks, prolonged (subacute), lasting 3 to 8 weeks, and chronic, lasting 8 weeks longer. Most cases of prolonged and chronic dry coughing in Japan are due to cough variant asthma, atopic cough, postinfectious cough and gastroesophageal reflux induced cough.
A gastroesophageal reflux associated cough may occur in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux induced coughing frequently improves with proton pump inhibitors. Intensive acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors should be undertaken for a minimum of 3 months. Coughing can induce gastroesophageal reflux episodes, a cough-gastroesophageal reflux self-perpetuating cycle may be involved in the pathophysiology of a patient's prolonged and chronic cough. Patients with cough variant asthma frequently (approximately 40%) experience complications with gastroesophageal reflux.
