Modern Treatment of Dry Post-viral Cough. Focus on Efficiency and Safety

Abstract

Cough is the most common symptom of bronchopulmonary diseases, about which patients consult the doctors of both primary and secondary care. Cough can be caused by diseases of the respiratory tract, digestive tract, and cardiovascular diseases. However, cough most often develops during acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI), which disrupts the patient’s normal activities and limits his work capacity. Since most respiratory infections are viral in nature, the use of antibacterial drugs will not only be of no benefit, but will also significantly worsen the patient’s condition. The objective: to analyze the effectiveness and tolerability of a combined antitussive agent, which includes codeine, thermopsis extract, licorice root and sodium bicarbonate, in the treatment of dry post-viral cough. Materials and methods. The study included 60 patients with a dry cough that caused by ARVI, namely: 49 (82%) men and 11 (18%) women. The average age of the patients was 46±4.7 years. Most of the subjects (90%) had smoking experience of more than 20 years. The research participants were divided into two groups of 30 people each. The groups were comparable by age, duration and severity of symptoms, as well as clinical manifestations of respiratory disease. The patients of the first group took a combined antitussive drug containing codeine, thermopsis extract, licorice root, and sodium bicarbonate for 5 days. Patients of the second group received alternative antitussive drugs. At the beginning and at the end of treatment, the severity of cough was determined on a visual analog scale and the physical, psychological and social conditions of patients in both groups were assessed using the Leicester Acute Cough Questionnaire. Results. As a result of the research, it was found that the patients of the first group, who received the combined antitussive drug, have achieved the desired treatment result much earlier and more effectively than the patients of the second group. The intensity of their cough decreased by 2.5 times during the treatment period. The patients of the first group also had better results of treatment, comparing indicators of physical, psychological and social conditions. In the control group, positive results of treatment were determined, although a less significant effect was found. Conclusions. The conducted study confirmed the high efficiency of the combined antitussive agent, which includes codeine, thermopsis extract, licorice root and sodium bicarbonate, in the treatment of dry debilitating cough caused by ARVI. Thanks to the use of this drug, the severity of cough significantly decreased, which led to a significant improvement in the general condition and quality of life of patients.