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Lung
Published in: Lung 1/2008

01-02-2008

Before We Get Started: What Is a Cough?

Author: Giovanni A. Fontana

Published in: Lung | Special Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

Cough is an airway defensive reflex consisting of an inspiratory phase followed by a forced expiratory effort initially against a closed glottis, followed by active glottal opening and rapid expiratory flow. The expiration reflex (ER) differentiates from cough for the lack of a preparatory inspiration. The reflexes subserve different functions: cough will clear the lower airways from debris and mucus, while the expiration reflex will prevent aspiration. Clinically, a cough epoch is a sequence of motor acts resulting from a combination of true coughs and ERs that need to be accurately identified and measured for adequate quantitative description.
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Metadata
Title
Before We Get Started: What Is a Cough?
Author
Giovanni A. Fontana
Publication date
01-02-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Lung / Issue Special Issue 1/2008
Print ISSN: 0341-2040
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1750
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-007-9036-8

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