Antitussive
An antitussive is a medicine that reduces the cough reflex or the urge to cough. It may act centrally in the brain or locally in the airways.
Dextromethorphan: A non-opioid cough suppressant used in many over-the-counter medicines. It suppresses cough centrally and is a common example of an antitussive.
Acute cough: A cough lasting less than three weeks, commonly associated with respiratory infections. Short-term cough relief is a frequent reason for using nonprescription antitussives.
Expectorant: A medicine intended to loosen or thin airway mucus so it can be cleared more easily. Expectorants support mucus clearance rather than directly suppressing the cough reflex.
Opioid: A substance that acts on opioid receptors to produce effects such as analgesia, sedation, or respiratory depression. Codeine and related drugs connect cough suppression with opioid safety concerns.
Codeine: An opioid medicine used to relieve pain and, in some settings, suppress cough. Its action on opioid receptors can reduce the brain’s cough response.
Chronic cough: A cough lasting more than eight weeks in adults, often requiring investigation of its cause. Persistent cough may need cause-directed treatment before or alongside cough suppression.
Mucolytic: A medicine that reduces the thickness or viscosity of mucus. Mucolytics alter secretions, while antitussives reduce coughing.
Respiratory depression: Abnormally slow or inadequate breathing that reduces oxygen intake or carbon dioxide removal. Central nervous system depressants used for cough can impair breathing, especially in vulnerable people.
Benzonatate: A non-narcotic prescription medicine that reduces cough by anesthetizing stretch receptors in the lungs and airways. It suppresses cough through a peripheral action rather than primarily through the brain.
Upper respiratory tract infection: An infection affecting the nose, sinuses, pharynx, or larynx, usually caused by a virus. These infections commonly produce cough, though suppressants do not treat the infection itself.