| Acute (≤8 weeks) | Chronic (>8 weeks) |
| Diseases of the upper airways | Diseases of the upper airways |
| Infectious disease of the upper airways, mostly viral infection (common cold) | Chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis |
| Allergic disease | Vocal cord dysfunction |
| Cardiac disease with acute pulmonary congestion | Obstructive sleep apnoea? |
| Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease | |
| Drug-induced cough | |
| ACE inhibitors | |
| Others | |
| Cardiac diseases | |
| Any including pulmonary congestion | |
| Endocarditis |
ACE: angiotensin-converting enzyme.