Chronic cough is a common but complex disease, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients and may lead to other health problems. Despite the variety of treatments available, many patients are unable to achieve effective remission. Therefore, it is particularly important to explore new therapeutic approaches and drugs. Recently, the medical community has made important progress in the study of acetylcysteine (NAC), and found that it has a significant effect in alleviating chronic cough. Chronic cough is defined as a cough that lasts for more than 8 weeks and has no obvious evidence of lung disease on chest X-ray. Acetylcysteine, a sulfur amino acid, is a precursor of glutathione and has antioxidant and mucus regulatory effects. In the treatment of chronic cough, acetylcysteine is effective in relieving cough symptoms through its antioxidant properties and mucolytic effects. Specifically, acetylcysteine can reduce airway inflammation and reduce sputum viscosity, thereby promoting sputum discharge and reducing cough frequency and intensity. Acetylcysteine has certain application value in the treatment of chronic cough, mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. Expectorant effect:-Some patients with chronic cough may have increased airway mucus secretion and sticky sputum that is not easy to cough up. The sulfhydryl group in the molecular structure of acetylcysteine can break the disulfide bond between mucin molecular complexes, reduce the viscosity of sputum, and make sputum easy to cough up.
2.Antioxidant effect-Airway inflammation plays an important role in the morbidity mechanism of chronic cough, and oxidative stress can aggravate airway inflammation. Acetylcysteine has an antioxidant effect, which can scavenge oxygen free radicals and reduce the damage of oxidative stress to the airway, thus helping to alleviate cough symptoms.
3. Therapeutic effect on specific causes-For some chronic cough causes with airway mucus hypersecretion, such as chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, the expectorant effect of acetylcysteine can help improve airway patency and relieve cough.
Studies have shown that acetylcysteine not only significantly relieves cough symptoms, but also improves the general health of patients. For example, in a randomized controlled trial, patients treated with acetylcysteine showed a significant reduction in cough frequency and improvement in symptoms such as expiratory dyspnoea and chest distress. In addition, acetylcysteine has been found to improve the quality of life of patients and reduce sleep disorders and limitations in daily activities due to chronic cough.
Further studies have shown that the use of acetylcysteine is not limited to symptom relief, but also has the potential to prevent chronic cough complications. Chronic cough is often accompanied by airway inflammation and oxidative stress, and the antioxidant properties of acetylcysteine can help alleviate these pathological changes, thereby preventing further deterioration of the disease. For example, some studies have found that long-term use of acetylcysteine can reduce the number of exacerbations and the risk of hospitalization in patients with chronic cough.
However, despite the advantages of acetylcysteine in the treatment of chronic cough, we must also recognize its limitations. First, acetylcysteine is not appropriate for all patients with chronic cough, especially those who are allergic to sulfur amino acids or have specific metabolic disorders. Secondly, the effect of acetylcysteine may vary from individual to individual, and some patients may need to adjust the dosage or combine with other treatment methods to achieve the best effect. In addition, the long-term efficacy and safety data of acetylcysteine in chronic cough are still limited, and further large-scale clinical trials are needed to verify it.
It should be noted that although acetylcysteine is relatively safe, attention should be paid to possible side effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort. When using acetylcysteine to treat chronic cough, attention should be paid to the following points:
1. Dosage and administration: The appropriate dosage and frequency of medication should be determined under the guidance of doctors according to the specific conditions of patients.
2. Adverse reactions: Acetylcysteine may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and allergic reactions. In the course of medication, if adverse reactions occur, the doctor should be informed in time and the treatment plan should be adjusted.
3. Combination therapy: The etiology of chronic cough is complex and often requires comprehensive treatment. Acetylcysteine can be used in combination with other antitussive, antiasthmatic and anti-infective drugs to improve the therapeutic effect.
In conclusion, acetylcysteine has a certain effect in the treatment of chronic cough. The application value of acetylcysteine in chronic cough can not be ignored. Not only can it effectively relieve cough symptoms, but it can also improve overall health. For patients suffering from chronic cough for a long time, acetylcysteine is undoubtedly a solution worth trying, but it should be used reasonably under the guidance of doctors in order to achieve the best therapeutic effect.
