DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE COUGH

Introduction: The common cold is considered an acute upper respiratory syndrome, often because of viral infection, with symptoms consisting of rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. Common cold is often supplemented by sore throat, sneezing, body aches, low-grade fever, and cough. Cough linked with the common cold is a common and especially bothersome symptom for patients in the ambulatory setting. A new Internet survey showed that cough outlasted other cold symptoms in seventy percent of the survey respondents. Adults in the US average 2 to 3 colds in a year, and this number is even greater in children. 52% of adult participants from a new survey showed that cough/cold affected their daily lives. 3 A total of seventy five percent of survey respondents tried to manage the cough associated with the common cold (CACC), most often with over the counter (OTC) syrup or a throat lozenge. In 2015, the average American household made twenty six trips to retail outlets and spent about $338 every year on OTC products. The new Cough Expert Panel believed it would be helpful to conduct a systematic review to update the recommendations of the 2006 guideline. Aim of work: In this review, we will discuss acute cough. Methodology: We did a systematic search for Acute cough using PubMed search engine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com). All relevant studies were retrieved and discussed. We only included full articles. Conclusions: Regrettably, there has not been much change in the management options for cough because the common cold since publication of the 2006 CHEST cough guidelines. Many of the published studies are small and have marked limitations and potential biases. Data pooling was not possible, making it hard to provide definitive recommendations. Cold symptoms are one of the most common reasons for seeking medical attention, and cough is one of the most irritating and persistent cold symptoms. Key words: acute cough; common cold; pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment