This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Possible clinical features of airway obstruction include:

  • dyspnoea
  • stridor - in laryngeal obstruction the stridor is inspiratory; in tracheal lesions it is usually both inspiratory and expiratory.
  • use of accessory muscles of respiration
  • pallor, sweating and restlessness
  • cyanosis
  • tachycardia; note that bradycardia may be sign indicating severe hypoxia. As the circulation is so slow and the blood pressure so low, with profound vasoconstriction, there may be little cyanosis at this stage.

NB if airway obstruction occurs in a child there may be intercostal and sternal recession. The sternum may be sucked in as the child attempts to breathe.

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.