Drug-induced chronic cough and the possible mechanism of action

Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting for ≥8 weeks with a normal chest radiograph. The common causes of chronic cough are cough variant asthma (CVA), upper airway cough syndrome/postnasal drip syndrome (UACS/PNDs), eosinophilic bronchitis (EB), gastroesophageal reflux-related chronic cough (GERC) and atopic cough (AC). Drug-induced chronic cough, a rare cause of chronic cough, refers to a chronic cough caused by certain drugs. In addition to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), there are cases reporting that some drugs such as omeprazole and leflumide that can cause cough. An important step in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough is to determine the history of the patient with regard to any drugs that can induce chronic cough. If the cough occurs after taking the medicine, a suspected diagnosis of drug-induced cough should be established. If the cough resolution occurs within 1 to 4 weeks after drug withdrawal, it would be considered as a side effect of the medication. we should be alert to the possibility of drug-induced chronic cough after excluding CVA, UACS, EB and other common causes of chronic cough. This article reviews the relevant drugs that may cause cough and their possible mechanisms of action.