Ambulantná terapia 4/2008

PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PHARMACOTHERAPY OF COUGH

Cough counts among reflex reactions of the body on the basis of irritation to ensure the clearness of air passages. We should see the cough as an important symptom not only in the phases of diagnosis, but also in the disease management framework. We should keep in mind the natural physiological function of the cough from the perspective of theraputical processes. To choose the medicines or parapharmaceuticals we have to evaluate all consequances of cough inhibition (in the case of cought supressants) or expectorantion support (in the case of expectorants). Causes of cough, character of cought and potential patophysiological outcomes should play a most important role in the process of pharmacotherapy selection.

Keywords: cough, cough supressants, expectorants