COUGH: Mr RB

Other respiratory cause

Cardiac

Asthma(affecting bronchi): Mechanism: Inflammation and constriction of airways cause dry productive cough.

COPD(affecting bronchi): Mechanism: Cause excess production of mucus resulting to a persistent cough worse in the morning

Pulmonary embolism: Mechanism: activation of baroreceptors in pulmonary vessels or C-fibers in pulmonary vessels result to a cough reflex

GIT

Endocarditis:Mechanism :Lung damage as result of infective endocarditis happens when the right side of the heart is affected. Blood clot traveling to the lungs causes pulmonary embolism which stimulates baroreceptors in pulmonary vessels resulting to a cough

Congestive heart failure: Mechanism: The heart is not able to pump blood well leading to accumulation of fluid in the lungs. This causes a cough to eliminate the excess fluid.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux: *Mechanism:* occurs as a reflex action induced by the high levels of stomach acid going up to the esophagus. These tiny droplets also go to the throat ,resulting to a cough which acts as a protective mechanism.

Other causes

ACE Inhibitor medication: Mechanism: ACE inhibitors increase bradykinin levels. This causes irritation of the airways resulting to coughing Character :dry, scratchy , persistent

Resp causes > Affecting lung parenchyma

Pulmonary edema -Mechanism: accumulation of fluid in air sacs cause coughing. Character: worse on lying down, sometimes with frothy sputum

Bronchiectasis: Mechanism: results to coughing up mucus as a result of a scarred tissue in the bronchi.Character Chronic and very productive

Pulmonary Tuberculosis : Mechanism: the cough reflex is stimulated by nociceptive receptors in the lung caused by the infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Character: productive with blood

Pneumonia:Mechanism: inflammation of air sacs cause build up of fluid resulting to a cough with phlegm. Character: dry then productive

Resp causes affecting the throat(larynx& pharynx)

Post-nasal drip syndrome: Mechanism: overproduction of mucus at the back of throat and nose stimulate cough reflex. Character: throat clearing and chronic

Laryngitis: Mechanism: due to damage of vocal cords which affect the swallowing mechanism. Disruption of the swallowing mechanism allows food particles to enter larynx and lungs and this causes a cough. Character: barking , painful ,acute or persistent cough

By Unathi Tabata_TBTUNA001