Respiratory/ Oral Health Flashcards
What are the 2 types of cough
Productive cough - sputum production
Non productive cough - dry trickly cough, can be worse at night
Cough causes
Smoking
Heartburn
Allergies, hayfever
Post nasal drip (mucus dripping down the back of the nose into the throat)
Cough red flags
Lasting longer than 3 weeks
Coloured sputum - green, yellow, brown
Blood in sputum - pink and frothy
Dark red or rusty sputum
Barking cough
Difficulty breathing
Chest pain
Cough exacerbating
Feeling very unwell
Unexpected weight loss
Swollen/painful glands
Patient has weak immune system -chemotherapy, diabetic patients
What drug causes dry cough
Ace/ ARBs (less likely than Acei)
Cough treatments
Expectorants - guaifenasin, ipecacuanha, ammonium chloride, squill
Cough suppressant - pholcodine, codeine, dextromethorphan
Antihistamines - diphenhydramine, promethazine
Soothing agents/ demulscents - glycerin, lemon and honey, simple linctus
What do you suspect with pink and frothy sputum
Suspect heart failure
Dark red sputum may indicate
Tuberculosis
Rusty coloured sputum indicates
Community acquired pneumonia
A patient presents to you with a barking cough, suspect…
Croup
Why are antihistamines used in coughs
Sedating antihistamines dry up secretions that may be triggering the cough, also helps sleep
Chesty cough mixtures age restrictions
6 years and above
Cough counselling
Drink plenty of fluids
Avoid smoking
Can use sodium chloride nasal drops to unblock nose
What cough mixture range is suitable for diabetics
Robitussin range is sugar free
Sore throat caused by ……. And ……
Viruses (90%)
Streptococcus bacteria (10%)
Causes of sore throat
GORD
smoke, chemicals and irritants
Allergies
Strep throat and bacterial infections
Cold and flu
