[Summary of the practice guideline 'Acute cough' from the Dutch College of General Practitioners].
In most cases acute cough has an infectious, often viral, cause. When the coughing lasts longer than 3 weeks, the diagnosis has to be reconsidered. The effectiveness of cough medicines has not been proven. For the management of acute cough it is important to distinguish between non-serious and serious lower respiratory tract infections. A serious lower respiratory tract infection is: a lower respiratory tract infection with a higher risk of a complicated course: when pneumonia is suspected, in infants and the elderly, and in patients with relevant co-morbidity. The prescription of antibiotics for acute cough is not useful in the majority of the patients; antimicrobial therapy can be indicated, but only in the case of lower respiratory tract infections with a higher risk of a complicated course. Specific management has to be considered in the case of: whooping cough, bronchiolitis and croup. In the case of pneumonia, antimicrobial therapy is indicated; follow-up is necessary. In the case of moderate to severe croup, a single dose of corticosteroids is recommended.
van Balen
J A
JA
Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap, afd. Richtljinontwikkeling en Wetenschapsbeleid, Postbus 3231, 3502 GE Utrecht.
Verheij
Th J
TJ
Pijnenborg
L
L
Assendelft
W J
WJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003371:Cough / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents