title: Current and future peripherally-acting antitussives.
abstract: Cough is among the most common complaints for which medical evaluation is sought. The clinical significance of this problem is evidenced by the enormous financial expenditure on prescription and non-prescription cough remedies worldwide. Centrally-acting antitussive agents, such as opiates, are often associated with undesirable or intolerable side effects, including sedation, nausea, and constipation. Therefore, safe and effective peripherally-acting antitussive agents are particularly desirable. Relatively few commercially-available products suppress cough through a peripheral mechanism of action. Recent research in the field of cough has resulted in the development of several new classes of compounds that may prove to be clinically useful peripherally-acting antitussives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Intensive Care Unit, Einstein Division/Montefiore Medical Center, 1825 Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. pdicpinigaitis@pol.net
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Dicpinigaitis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents