My dad is 89 years old and every night he comes down with a dry cough which gives him anxiety. The doctor has prescribed an inhaler, tussulin and nose spray and also said this is normal for the elderly. He does have stages of dementia. Has anyone been dealing with this? If so, how do you handle it - it’s very annoying at times. He takes cough drops all day long and always asks for cough syrup before he goes to bed.
In my experience (RN) people can still develop that dry cough even if they’ve been taking the ACE prior to getting the cough.
It’s annoying for those poor people.
Or have him evaluated for GERD. Make sure he sits up for an hour after he eats before lying supine & always have a pillow under his head and shoulders to elevate his head at least 35 degrees.
Running a humidifier also helped.
Taking cough drops and cough medicine was not an option with her HBP and diabetes.
Perhaps check your dads Rx's to see if he takes a Statin.
Ask your dad’s pharmacist to check his meds for ones that might cause a cough.
He might also have developed an allergy. Happens to my aunt off and on. Again, ask the pharmacist for a recommendation.
This kind of cough is very *common* in elderly people, especially if they're taking certain medications (see excellent answers below) and/or live in over-heated, under-ventilated rooms. But it is NOT normal.