Cough

Question 1

An acute cough lasts

Answer 1

Less than 3 weeks

Question 2

What are 2 causes of an acute cough?

Answer 2

Asthma or bacterial sinusitis

Question 3

How long does a subacute cough last?

Answer 3

3-8 weeks

Question 4

Post-infectious coughs do not usually last more than

Answer 4

8 weeks

Question 5

Chronic, persistent coughs last

Answer 5

More than 8 weeks

Question 6

Smoking can increase the risk of chronic cough by

Answer 6

3x

Question 7

What is the most common cause of drug-induced cough?

Answer 7

ACEIs

Question 8

What are less common causes of cough?

Answer 8

Medications, cardiac disease, post-infectious cough, TB, HF

Question 9

What are uncommon reasons for cough?

Answer 9

Tracheobronchial collapse, sarcoidosis

Question 10

A patient complains of having a cough for 3 months that occurs twice a year. What do you suspect?

Answer 10

Chronic bronchitis

Question 11

A patient complains of having a sudden onset that also occurs while lying down, after meals, and causes a sour taste. What do you suspect?

Answer 11

GERD

Question 12

A patient complains of pink, frothy sputum. On assessment, you hear inspiratory crackles. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 12

Pulmonary edema

Question 13

A patient complains of rust-colored sputum. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 13

Pneumococcal pneumonia

Question 14

Pharyngeal erythema with or without cobblestone mucosa and purulent secretions, may be seen in patients with

Answer 14

Sinusitis, upper airway cough, or allergic disease

Question 15

Expiratory wheezing may be heard in patients with

Answer 15

COPD or asthma

Question 16

Upper airway cough syndrome (post-nasal drip), asthma, GERD, chronic bronchitis can all be caused by

Answer 16

Cigarette smoking

Question 17

What 2 diagnostic tests would be ordered by a specialist?

Answer 17

Purified protein derivative and bronchoscopy

Question 18

If the chest x-ray is normal but further investigation is needed, what other imaging study could be ordered?

Answer 18

CT sinuses

Question 19

To determine if a cough is related to an obstructive cause, what 2 tests should be performed?

Answer 19

PFT and/or methacholine challenge

Question 20

If suspecting GERD or GI/esophageal related cough, what 2 tests should be considered?

Answer 20

Barium swallow study or 24 hour pH monitoring
Food diary!

Question 21

What allergy panel zone would be ordered for a cough?

Answer 21

Allergy panel zone 4

Question 22

What is the treatment for sinusitis?

Answer 22

Oral decongestants and nasal steroids

Question 23

Opiates can be used for cough to increase the

Answer 23

Latency threshold of cough

Question 24

What are 5 complications of chronic cough?

Answer 24

Costochondritis and hemoptysis (strenuous coughing); cough-induced rib fractures (reduced bone density), pneumothorax, emphysematous blebs