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OTC
Pharmacy preregistration guide
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Coughs
Coughs may seem innocent but there may
be serious underlying factors which could cause chronic distress to
the patient if left untreated for long. Usual common symptoms
associated with cough are fever, runny nose, fatigue, headache,
these are signs of the "common cold, and should usually disappear or
improve over 2-3 weeks.
Coughs can be easily treated for
symptomatic relief by cough mixtures, which will usually contain an
expectorant (for chesty coughs) to help loosen mucus and sputum and
make the cough more comfortable, or a cough suppressant (for dry
tickly coughs) which acts to stop the cough.
When to refer to GP/doctor:
 | Blood in sputum, could
indicate a serious lung disease |
| Yellow/green sputum, could
indicate a bacterial infection |
| Chronic dry cough induced by
ACE inhibitors (e.g ramipril). The
ACEI's may inhibit the same enzyme that metabolises bradykinin
(a chemical released as part of the immune response), the build
up of bradykinin may induce a dry cough. In this case the ACEI
should be replaced by a angiotensin-II receptor antagongonist
(e.g losartan). |
| Wheezing, and difficulty in
breathing |
| Persistent night time cough in
children. This should be checked out as the child may be an
undiagnosed asthmatic. |
| Severe symptoms of infection:
Fever, diarrhoea, sore throat, headache, extreme malaise.
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| smokers cough: if lung cancer
is suspected or long term use (i.e more than2-3 weeks) of OTC
cough medicines, a smokers cough should be referred |
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