Praktické lekárnictvo 1/2018

Cough pharmacotherapy part I – antitussive drugs

A cough is one of the most common symptoms of respiratory diseases and at the same time a common cause, for which the patient finds medical help. Coughing carries out a defensive function of respiratory, certain non-respiratory diseases or arising from the ACE inhibitors treatment. In many cases the cough becomes painful, unproductive or going through a chronic and is harmful to the patient. This article reviews the current understanding of the pathogenesis and classification of a cough as well as reviewing the classes and characterization of antitussive drug currently in clinical use.

Keywords: cough reflex, cough etiology, cough classification, antitussive drugs