Pediatria pre prax 1/2006

COUGH ON DISEASES OF UPPER AIR PASSAGES

In the article there is a survey of diseases of upper air passages which are accompanied by a cough. Next are discussed: therapy, subdivision of cough medicines into drugs supporting expectoration and antitussives. Expectorants divides up into mucolytics, sekretolytics, sekretomotorics, they work in the way that they make removing dense mucus or mucus with pus from air passages easier. Antitussives are indicated mainly in the event of a stubborn irritant dry cough if a previous administration of expectorants has not been effective. They should not be used for a long time. We can subdivide them into antitussives of codeine and non-codeine type. Combinations of antitussive and expectorants are used for the treatment of an irritant cough at the acute inflammations of upper air passages.

Keywords: cough, inflammations of upper air passages, expectorant, antitussive.