This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Types

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Wheezes are described in terms of:

  • frequency: high- or low-pitched
  • duration: long or short
  • location in respiratory cycle: inspiratory or expiratory
  • number: single - monophonic - or multiple - polyphonic

A monophonic wheeze consists of a small number of notes starting and ending at different times. It may be caused by asthma, by a large tumour occluding a major bronchus (often positionally dependent), and interstitial fibrotic conditions (characteristically within the lower lobes).

Polyphonic wheezes are composed of many discordant frequencies starting and finishing in tandem. It implicates compression of central bronchi. It is characteristic of chronic obstructive lung disease, when it occurs at rest in expiration. It is mimicked by a rapid rate of flow during a forced expiratory ejection.


Create an account to add page annotations

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.