Question:

Is there any role of cough mixture in treatment of cough?

4 December 2006 note: This question is over 2 years old and may differ to any new research.

In 2004 Cochrane published the systematic review “Over-the-counter medications for acute cough in children and adults in ambulatory settings” [1], this concluded:

“There is no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of OTC medicines in acute cough. The results of this review have to be interpreted with caution due to differences in study designs, populations, interventions and outcomes between studies. The numbers of studies in each group were small, and studies often showed conflicting results. Effect sizes in many studies were unclear and it is questionable as to whether all of the positive results are clinically relevant. More evidence about the effectiveness of OTC cough preparations would be helpful, as identification of effective self-care treatments may help reduce the burden of days lost at work due to acute cough as well as the number of consultations in primary care. Identification of ineffective preparations could avoid costs for consumers and health care providers.”

Reference

1) http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001831.html
 

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