What it means
A reflex that pushes mucus, fluid or foreign matter out of the airways. A dry cough brings up nothing; a productive cough brings up sputum. It can be acute, as with a cold, or chronic, lasting more than eight weeks. Some drugs, such as ACE inhibitorAYS in-HIB-ih-terA blood pressure drug that blocks the enzyme that makes angiotensin II, so blood vessels relax and less fluid is held in the body.Full entry , cause a dry cough.
For the nurse
Describe the cough: dry or productive, when it happens, and the color, amount and thickness of any sputum. Teach coughing and deep breathing after surgery, and splinting the incision with a pillow.
At a glance
| Spanish | tos |
|---|---|
| Also written | coughs, coughing |
Related terms
secretion
A substance a gland or cell makes and releases, such as mucus, saliva, sweat or a hormone.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
bronchitis
Inflammation of the bronchi, the large airways that carry air into the lungs.
bronchospasm
A sudden tightening of the muscles around the airways that narrows them.