When is a cough life-threatening?

The severity of a cough varies depending on each person’s overall health. Cough is usually not life-threatening. However, in some severe cases, coughing can cause death.

Listed below are some medical conditions in which cough can be life-threatening if not treated promptly:

Other health problems: People with pre-existing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung cancer have a higher risk of dying from coughing.

Pneumonia: Symptoms such as fever, chest pain and difficulty breathing, along with a persistent cough can indicate pneumonia and can be life-threatening for those who neglect treatment, especially the elderly and immunocompromised.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis): In rare cases, especially in infants and young children, whooping cough can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and, in extreme cases, death.

Complications during breathing: Food eaten or drunk during inhalation can enter the lungs and airways, causing severe coughing, choking and aspiration pneumonia.

Respiratory system infection: Severe symptoms of infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) or influenza include a persistent cough, which in severe cases can lead to suffocation.