Impact of Chronic Cough on Quality of Life

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Abstract
WHILE COUGH is an important defense mechanism that helps clear excessive secretions and foreign material from the airways, it is the most common symptom for which adult patients seek medical attention from primary care physicians in the United States.1 Additionally, referrals of patients with persistently troublesome chronic cough have been shown to account for up to 38% of a pulmonologist's outpatient practice.2 Since cough is a frequent complaint, it is not surprising that the treatment of this problem is responsible for a substantial proportion of health care dollars. For example, the expenditure for over-the-counter cough suppressant drugs designed to modify rather than eliminate cough is approximately $1 billion per year.3 This figure clearly underestimates the total cost of treating cough since it does not include the cost of prescription drugs.

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