How to distinguish between pericarditis and other possible causes for prolonged coughing and high blood pressure?

Thank you for your question. Coughing during or after a cold is often due to postnasal drip (nose mucous dripping down the back of the throat, causing irritation and inflammation of the voice box). The voice box (medical term is larynx) is a very sensitive organ. Once inflamed, minor irritations of the voicebox (e. g from mucous, phelgm, saliva and in some people even a breath of dirty/cold air) will easily trigger a cough reflex. It takes time for the inflammation of the voice box to settle and often, treating conditions of the nose and acid reflux from the stomach may help.

We will need to first determine the cause of your father's high blood pressure - whether it is anxiety or hypertension. In order to do that, you may want to bring your father to a medical general practitioner (GP) or cardiologist for a check up. After your father's medical doctor has established the cause of the increase in blood pressure, do let your father's dentist/dental specialist know the following: 1) your father's existing medical conditions, if any 2) medications and the dosage taken currently, if any 3) name and contact number of your father's medical doctor.