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Cough Updated 12/2010

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BASICS

  • Description
  • Etiology

DIAGNOSIS

  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Essential Workup
  • Tests
  • Differential Diagnosis

TREATMENT

  • Initial Stabilization
  • ED Treatment
  • Medication (Drugs)
  • In-patient Considerations

Ongoing Care

  • Follow-Up Recommendations
The following is an excerpt....
BASICS
Description
  • A sudden spasmodic contraction of the thoracic cavity resulting in violent release of air from the lungs and usually accompanied by a distinctive sound:
    • Deep inspiration
    • Glottis closes
    • Expiratory muscles contract
    • Intrapulmonary pressures increase
    • Glottis opens
    • Air expiration at high pressure
    • Secretion and foreign material excretion
    • Vocal cord vibration with tracheobronchial walls, lung parenchyma, and secretions
  • Defense mechanism to clear the airway of foreign material and secretions:
    • Voluntary or involuntary
    • Involuntary coughing regulated by the vagal afferent nerves:
      • Voluntary coughing under cortical control allowing for inhibition or voluntary cough
      • Because of cortical control, placebos can have a profound effect on coughing.
    • Reflex involves respiratory tissue receptor activation of afferent neurons to the central cough center followed by efferent ...
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See Also
Diseases & Conditions >
DDx/Tx Algorithms >
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