Patients with a cough frequently present to clinicians working in both primary and secondary care. An acute cough, which often follows an upper respiratory tract infection, may be initially disruptive but is usually self-limiting and rarely needs significant medical intervention. A chronic cough is often the key symptom of many important chronic respiratory diseases but may be the sole presenting feature of a number of extrapulmonary conditions, in particular, upper airway and gastrointestinal disease.
The guidelines “ Recommendations for the management of a cough in adults ” are prefaced with the key points and recommendations on the management of a cough. A cough is a forced expulsive maneuver, usually against a closed glottis and which is associated with a characteristic sound. A cough frequently presents as a troublesome symptom to clinicians working in both primary and secondary…
