Examining the use of opioids for chronic cough

Opioid-containing cough suppressant (OCCS) prescriptions for patients with chronic cough, by year and number of prescription orders. OCCS drugs were prescribed in 21% of patients. Credit: Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease (2024). DOI: 10.1177/17534666241259373 Chronic cough, with symptoms lasting more than eight weeks, affects approximately one in 10 adults. Cough is among the most common reasons for seeking medical care in the United States, yet chronic cough is difficult to treat. One of the largest studies of chronic cough and one of the first to explore the use of opioids, which are known to suppress cough, to treat these patients, Read More