cough

Most likely:

1. URTI
2. Post nasal drip
3. Smoking
4. Acute bronchitis
5. Chronic bronchitis

Not to be missed:

1. Heart failure
2. Lung cancer
3. Severe infection eg. TB, Pneumonia, HIV
4. Asthma 
5. CF
6. FB
7. PTX

Spasmodic Cough, Paroxysmal cough, Coughing Fits

1. Obstructive Lung Disease
   1. Asthma or other bronchospasm
   2. Bronchiectasis
2. Infectious
   1. Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
   2. Chlamydial Pneumonia (Staccato Cough)
   3. Croup
3. Miscellaneous
   1. Vocal Cord Dysfunction
   2. Gastroesophageal Reflux disease
   3. Postnasal drainage (Sinusitis, Allergic Rhinitis)

Often missed:

1. Atypical pneumonia
2. Nocturnal GORD
3. Smoking
4. Bronchiectasis
5. Pertussis

Masquerade:  Drugs eg. ACEi, β blockers, inhaled steroids

Hidden agenda: Anxiety

Causes by age group

Paediatric	Adolescent/ YA	Middle age	Elderly
Reflux Asthma URTI/ Croup Bronchitis Pertussis CFCroup FB inhalation Pneumonia	Asthma Psychogenic Smoking	Infection Smoking/Irritants GORD Lung cancer Drugs Anxiety	Infection COPD Lung cancer Drugs