Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) Practice Exam

What feature is characteristic of stridor sounds?

1. Low-pitched wheezing

2. High-pitched wheezing

3. Absence of sounds

4. Shallow breathing sounds

The correct answer is: High-pitched wheezing

Stridor is a distinctive respiratory sound that occurs due to turbulent airflow in narrowed airways, typically observed during inspiration. The characteristic of stridor being described as high-pitched wheezing aligns with its clinical presentation, reflecting the narrowed upper airway, which causes air to pass through more restricted spaces, producing a high-frequency sound. This high pitch can often be described as musical or squeaking in quality and is a critical sign in assessing airway obstruction or inflammation, particularly in conditions such as croup or foreign body aspiration. Understanding the nature of stridor is significant for diagnosis and determining the urgency of airway management. The other options present sounds or characteristics not associated with stridor, such as low-pitched wheezing which is more indicative of bronchiolar obstruction in conditions like asthma, absence of sounds suggesting a complete airway obstruction or respiratory arrest, and shallow breathing sounds which do not describe the musical nature typical of stridor. Thus, recognizing the high-pitched nature is essential for effective assessment and response in critical care settings.