Table 2.

Drug doses for treatment of cough

DRUGS	DOSE
Peripheral action
• Sodium cromoglycate	20 mg inhaled 2 to 4 times daily
Central action
• Dextromethorphan	15 to 30 mg orally every 4 to 8 hours (120 mg is maximum daily dose)
• Codeine	20 mg orally every 4 hours as needed
• Hydrocodone^*	5 to 10 mg every 4 to 6 hours as needed
• Normethadone–p-hydroxyephedrine compound^†	15 drops orally twice daily
• Paroxetine	Begin with 10 mg daily^‡

↵* Five mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 30 mg of codeine.
↵^† This compound is a combination of 10 mg/mL of normethadone and 20 mg/mL of p-hydroxyephedrine.
↵^‡ Anecdotal cases; response in a few days.