Abstract

Chronic cough is an important medical and economic problem. The patients with chronic cough have been shown to account for 10 to 38% of a pulmonologist’s outpatient practice. Chronic cough can be caused by various disorders. More than one factor may lead to chronic cough in the same patient. The most common causes of chronic cough in nonsmokers include postnasal drip syndrome, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux. The etiology of chronic cough can be determined in 88-100% of the patients, when a systematic diagnostic approach utilized.