Cough and Cold Flashcards
Why is there no vaccine for the cold?
there are too many types of colds (>200)
What are the day 1 symptoms of a cold? Are they at the same level as the symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
sore throat (usually the 1st sign)
rhinorrhea
sneezing
no, they are not at the same level as allergic rhinitis
WE DO NOT FOCUS ON TREATING THESE SYMPTOMS
What are the day 3 symptoms of a cold?
nasal congestion
sinus headache (as the nose plugs, there is inflammation at the base of the skull)
plugged ears (more so with kids)
Which virus causes the most colds?
rhinovirus
Which symptoms of the cold does the public generally want treatment for?
cough
nasal congestion
Which type of chest cold is the most common?
bronchitis
Do we worry more about a chest cold if it is deeper or higher in the respiratory tract?
we worry more as it gets deeper (pneumonia being the most serious)
What is the congested/productive cough type?
it is useful to the body
cough is associated with chest congestion
you are coughing out the junk (phlegm expectoration
What is the congested/nonproductive cough type?
will become useful to the body
cough associated with chest congestion
body is not coughing out junk but it eventually will (little expectoration of phlegm)
What is the dry/nonproductive cough type?
not useful to the body
cough not associated with chest congestion
not coughing anything up (no phlegm)
probably smokers cough
What are the symptoms of the cold with infants?
similar symptoms
early fever (39C)
GI upset
congestion is a problem if breast-feeding
What are the symptoms of the cold with children?
less fever
more similar to adults
What should you do if a parent wants something for their 1 year old who has a cold?
referral
not really our realm
few cough medicines for this age
What are some ways the cold is spread?
direct contact with cold sufferer
inhaled droplets
eye/nose contact
inanimate objects
What is the vasomotor response? Is this an indication that a cold is coming?
we get a runny nose when our body is responding to drastic temperature changes
normal, not the cold
Why is wiping down everything in an area to prevent the cold considered to be pointless?
the first person to cough ruins it
the common cold is everywhere!
Rank the following in their relative frequency: strep throat, bronchitis/sinusitis, influenza, common cold, COVID
common cold
bronchitis/sinusitis
influenza
covid
strep throat
What should always be your starting point in the differential diagnosis process?
the common cold
dont dig yourself a hole by thinking its something less common such as strep throat
If a patient says they’re symptoms hit them hard and fast, they have a dry cough, they have a high fever, and body aches, what would you say this is?
influenza
the common cold does not have fast onset and hard hitting symptoms
Differentiate the symptoms of the cold vs the flu.
cold: symptoms build up (not hard hitting), rhinorrhea, sneezing, congestion, cough, sore throat
flu: fast onset (hard hitting), body aches, DRY cough, fever, headache, fatigue
What is the same about the cold and flu?
they both come from respiratory tract infections in your nose, sinuses, and throat
Why do we promote the influenza vaccine to seniors?
seniors have a higher mortality rate from influenza
Does treatment change much with the cold and flu? What got added to cold products, to allow companies to advertise their products as “cold and flu”?
treatment does not change much
they added acetaminophen for aches and fever of the flu
True or false: influenza prescribing as a pharmacist is common
false
What are the non-pharmacological treatments of the flu?
fluids and rest
reduce spread by staying home
What is the pharmacological treatment of the flu?
OTC: analgesics and/or antipyretics for fever, headache, myalgia
When can a pharmacist prescribe an antiviral agent for the flu?
when an epidemic or pandemic is declared by the Chief Medical Health Officerf
Determine the rarity of fever, fatigue, cough, and runny/stuffy nose in COVID, the cold, and the flu?
Fever: COVID=common, cold=rare, flu=common
Fatigue: COVID=sometimes, cold=sometimes, flu=common
Cough: COVID=common (dry), cold=mild, flu=common (dry)
Runny/stuffy nose: COVID=rare, cold=common, flu=sometimes
A patient has the following symptoms: a mild cough and a runny nose. Is it most likely the common cold, the flu, or COVID?
common cold
What are the most common COVID symptoms? Least common symptoms?
most common: fever, dry cough, tiredness
least common: sore throat, aches+pains, headache
What is a major difference between COVID and influenza?
with influenza, once the illness has subsided, the impact is over
with COVID, there can be lingering effects
What are some characteristics of asthma?
persistent cough (non-productive)
chest tightness
no cold-like symptoms
wheezing/shortness of breath
What can trigger the symptoms of asthma?
allergens
exercise
colds
How can you tell a patient does not have asthma, but most likely has a cold?
asthma does not cause fever, chills, muscle aches, or sore throats
What is a good way to determine that a cough is caused by GERD and not the common cold?
the cough is chronic and UNPRODUCTIVE
irritated throat/heartburn
What is post-nasal drip? What are the symptoms?
rhinorrhea leaks into the back of the throat and causes irritation
enough exposure can produce an unproductive cough
symptoms: sore throat, throat clearing, unproductive cough
What are the common symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
rhinitis
sneezing
itch
ocular symptoms (sore and itchy eyes)
COUGH IS RARE (differential process from common cold)
What are the symptoms of smokers cough? What should you recommend for them?
worse in morning
minimal sputum (unproductive cough)
hot cough
recommend a cough suppressant
Which symptom of a smokers cough changes as they progress to COPD?
the cough is dry at first and then it becomes productive
lots of sputum
Does coughing increase or decrease immediately after quitting smoking?
increases (smoking cessation cough)
damaged cilia are now repaired and removing foreign materials from the airways
What is acute bronchitis?
lower resp tract infection (chest cold)
similar to common cold but more cough
cough starts non-productive but becomes productive
can last 3 weeks (7 days is common for a head cold)
worse than a regular cold but not as bad as pneumonia
What is chronic bronchitis?
cough that persists for months
smoking is the most common cause
Why are ACE inhibitors hard to identify as being the cause of a dry/raspy cough?
it can take up to a year of taking an ACE inhibitor for a cough to occur
What are the symptoms of strep throat?
fever
no cough
tender lymph nodes
tonsillar exudate
sore throat
A patient has fever, no cough, tender lymph nodes, and tonsillar exudate. What are the chances that this is strep throat?
50:50
Why are antibiotics prescribed for strep throat?
strep can go beyond the throat and cause Rheumatic fever, Rheumatic fever can cause heart or kidney fever
True or false: a pharmacist should look down a patients throat to try and see if the patient has strep throat
false
suggests you know more than you do
cant determine if it is strep from the naked eye
What are some symptoms of tonsilitis?
sore throat
swollen tonsils
fever
difficulty swallowing
tonsils have white or yellow spots
What causes laryngitis? What is laryngitis? What is the best way to treat laryngitis?
viral infection
inflammation of the vocal cords
self-care measures and rest (usually resolves itself in 7 days)
Which illness can a child with laryngitis develop?
croup
What is common to see in a kid after a cold?
fifth/sixth disease
skin condition (rashes) that develops after a cold
What is bronchiolitis? MD or pharmacist assesment?
viral infection in the bronchioles, deeper cough than bronchitis
more common in younger children
MD assessment
A mother comes in and tells you her child has a dry cough that sounds like a bark. What is the most likely diagnosis? What do you tell her?
croup
tell her it will clear up on its own, it sounds worse than it is and some humidity can help
What are the symptoms of mono? How does it initially present itself?
sore throat
fatigue
fever
swollen neck glands
NO cough
initially presents itself as a flu or strep and gradually gets worse
For the following age groups, should we refer to them for a cold?
<1 year
1-2 years
3-6 years
<1=automatic referral
1-2=be very cautious
3-6=cautious
What is post-infectious cough?
nagging cough that can last an average of 18 days after a cold subsides
When does it become reasonable to contact a doctor for a cold?
symptoms persist for longer than 10 days
What are the symptoms of acute bacterial cases of sinusitis?
discoloured discharge
severe local pain
fever
double sickening
For a cough, when should we start to get worried for the following ages?
<1 year olds
1-3 year olds
4-6 year olds
adults
<1 year: always worry
1-3 year: 1 week
4-6 year: 2 weeks
adults: half of adults have post-cold inflammation, resolves spontaneously, GPs say if cough lasts longer than a month
What are common causes of chronic cough?
smoking
asthma
PND
GERD
ACE inhibitors
What are the most common causes of fever?
colds
gastroenteritis
What is the best way to measure temperature for the following ages:
birth-2
2-5
>5
birth-2: rectum
2-5: rectum
>5: orally