New drug targets for chronic cough: research you can literally sink your teeth into!

Cough is an essential neurally mediated reflex that has evolved to protect the upper airways from obstruction, and to expel chemical and mechanical irritants. When heightened or persistent, however, cough presents a clinically challenging source of considerable physical and psychological morbidity [1, 2]. In the USA, cough continues to be the commonest single symptom for which patients seek a medical consultation [3]. Chronic cough, defined as cough continuing for >8 weeks, is also globally prevalent and accounts for 10% of respiratory referrals to secondary care [4].
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Pulmonary pharmacology and therapeutics, Mechanisms of lung disease Editorials Source Type: research