Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Upper and lower airway. Airway obstruction is a blockage of respiration in the airway that hinders the free flow of air. Airway obstructions can occur either in the upper airway or lower airway. The upper airway consists of the nose, throat, and larynx. The lower airway comprises the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles. [1] [page needed]
The patient may also experience added respiratory sounds which in the more severe cases can be identified as stridor but in many cases can be readily mistaken for wheeze. This creates a diagnostic pitfall in which many patients with laryngotracheal stenosis are incorrectly diagnosed as having asthma and are treated for presumed lower airway ...
The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea (windpipe), bronchial tubes, bronchioles, and the lungs. [6] Lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) are generally more severe than upper respiratory infections. LRIs are the leading cause of death among all infectious diseases. [7] The two most common LRIs are bronchitis and pneumonia. [8]
Mucolytics such as acetylcysteine and carbocystine are widely prescribed for upper and lower respiratory tract infection without chronic broncho-pulmonary disease. However, in 2013 a Cochrane review reported their efficacy to be limited. [28] Acetylcysteine is considered to be safe for the children older than 2 years. [28]
The mild symptoms tend to be restricting upper airways. However, younger individuals are extremely vulnerable to developing "severe symptoms," which typically involve the lower airways. [41] Since infants have smaller airways than children do, "they might be obstructed by inflammation, edema, and mucus."
Laryngomalacia results in partial airway obstruction, most commonly causing a characteristic high-pitched squeaking noise on inhalation (inspiratory stridor). Some infants have feeding difficulties related to this problem. Rarely, children will have significant life-threatening airway obstruction.
Bronchomalacia can best be described as a birth defect of the bronchus in the respiratory tract. Congenital malacia of the large airways is one of the few causes of irreversible airways obstruction in children, with symptoms varying from recurrent wheeze and recurrent lower airways infections to severe dyspnea and respiratory insufficiency.
Otherwise healthy premature infants that were born after a gestational age of 29 weeks should not be administered Palivizumab, as the harms outweigh the benefits. [9] Tobacco smoke exposure has been shown to increase both the rates of lower respiratory disease in infants, as well as the risk and severity of bronchiolitis. [9]