A healthy 19-year-old college student presents to Student Health with a constant, non-productive dry cough that has been waking them up at night for the past 4 days. They deny fever, chills, sputum production, headaches, nausea, and diarrhea, but report occasional chest wall tenderness with deep coughing. The patient has never smoked and has not been exposed to anyone with similar symptoms. They live in a dormitory and have attended several large gatherings recently. The patient received their seasonal influenza vaccine and has completed the full COVID-19 vaccine series. Their past medical history is unremarkable. Vital signs are as follows: Temperature: 98.7°F Heart Rate: 97 bpm Respiratory Rate: 22 breaths/min Blood Pressure: 116/78 mmHg Oxygen Saturation: 90% on room air A rapid strep test and COVID-19 test are negative. A chest x-ray shows no infiltrates. Which of the following is an appropriate part of their treatment plan? An antitussive, such as benzonatate (Tessalon), at bedtime. Azithromycin 500 mg daily x1 dose, then 250 mg daily x4 doses. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) 75 mg q12h x5 days Hydrocodone-acetaminophen 5/325 two tabs q4-6h as needed for chest wall pain.
[Expert Solution]: A healthy 19-year-old college student…
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