nonproductive cough /-prəduk′tiv/ [L, non + producere, to produce] , a sudden, noisy expulsion of air from the lungs that may be caused by irritation or inflammation and does not remove sputum from the respiratory tract. In patients with respiratory tract infections, the condition may be treated by administering expectorants such as ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate, sodium iodide, potassium iodide, ipecac, or terpin hydrate, which “liquefy” respiratory tract secretions and may result in productive coughing. If suppression of coughing is required (when there is no sputum to be expelled), antitussives that depress the cough reflex may be prescribed, including codeine or dextromethorphan. Intratracheal suctioning may be necessary when secretions cause severe respiratory difficulty and coughing is unproductive. Compare productive cough.
