Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Dyspnea with Stridor
Introduction
Abbreviations: ABG (arterial blood gas); ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme); BMI (body mass index); CBC (complete blood count); CSF (cerebrospinal fluid); CXR (chest X-ray); ECG (electrocardiogram); FEF (forced expiratory flow rate); FEV1 (forced expiratory volume); FVC (forced vital capacity); JVD (jugular vein distention); MCV (mean corpuscular volume); Plt (platelet); RV (residual volume); SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone); TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone); Vt (tidal volume); WBC (white blood cell);
| Diseases | Clinical manifestations | Diagnosis | Other features | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | Physical exam | ||||||||||||||||
| Loss of consciousness | Agitation | Weight loss | Fever | Chest pain | Cough | Cyanosis | Clubbing | JVD | Peripheral edema | Auscultation | CBC | ABG | Imaging | Spirometry | Gold standard | ||
| Croup[1] | – | + | – | +/- | – | + | + | – | – | – | Stridor | ↑WBC | Normal | Steeple sign | Normal | Physical exam | Barking cough |
| Epiglottitis[2] | – | + | – | + | – | + | – | – | – | – | Stridor | ↑WBC | Normal | Thumb sign | Normal | Laryngoscopy | Drooling |
| Vocal cord dysfunction[3] | – | – | – | – | – | +/- | – | – | – | – | Stridor | Normal | Normal | Normal | ↓ FVC | Laryngoscopy | Choking sensation |
| Laryngeal adenocarcinoma[4] | – | – | + | – | – | +/- | – | – | – | – | Stridor | Normal | ↓O2, ↑CO2 | Retropharyngeal tissue thickness | Normal | Laryngoscopy | Choking sensation |
| Tracheal stenosis[5] | – | – | – | – | +/- | +/- | + | + | – | – | Stridor, Stertorous | Normal | ↓O2, ↑CO2 | Soft tissue thickening internal to normal-appearing tracheal cartilage | Normal | Bronchoscopy | Respiratory distress |
References
- ↑ Bjornson CL, Johnson DW (2013). “Croup in children”. CMAJ. 185 (15): 1317–23. doi:10.1503/cmaj.121645. PMC 3796596. PMID 23939212.
- ↑ Negus VE (1927). “The Function of the Epiglottis”. J Anat. 62 (Pt 1): 1–8. PMC 1250045. PMID 17104162.
- ↑ Wood RP, Milgrom H (September 1996). “Vocal cord dysfunction”. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 98 (3): 481–5. PMID 8828523.
- ↑ Schwenk NR, Schapira RM, Byrd JC (November 1994). “Laryngeal carcinoma presenting as platypnea”. Chest. 106 (5): 1609–11. PMID 7956433.
- ↑ Conti V, Calia N, Pasquini C, Zardi S, Finetti C, Stomeo F, Ravenna F (April 2013). “[Chronic cough and worsening dyspnea: a case of idiopathic tracheal stenosis]”. Recenti Prog Med (in Italian). 104 (4): 156–8. doi:10.1701/1271.14026. PMID 23748638.
Editor-In-Chief:
C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Eiman Ghaffarpasand, M.D. [2]