Antitussive Therapy

Antitussive therapy, using drugs also called cough suppressants, is intended to reduce coughing, and represents one category within the broader class of cold medicines used to manage upper respiratory symptoms. Common antitussives include dextromethorphan, codeine, hydrocodone and benzonatate, which act through different mechanisms to inhibit the cough reflex, though the evidence for their effectiveness is notably weak; a 2014 Cochrane review found no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of over-the-counter cough medicines, and research suggests they may perform no better than a placebo for acute cough from an upper respiratory infection in adults. Antitussives are not recommended for treating whooping cough or pneumonia and are considered ineffective for people with COPD or chronic bronchitis, and codeine, once regarded as the standard antitussive, has fallen out of favor as evidence has questioned its effectiveness, particularly in children.