Which term refers to breathing difficulties accompanied by a high-pitched noise due to obstruction?

The term that refers to breathing difficulties accompanied by a high-pitched noise due to obstruction is stridor. Stridor is often indicative of an upper airway obstruction, which can occur in conditions such as croup or anaphylaxis. The high-pitched sound is produced as air passes through a narrowed or obstructed airway, making it an important clinical sign that healthcare providers monitor, particularly in emergency settings.

Rales refer to abnormal lung sounds caused by fluid in the small airways, often described as cracking or popping noises which indicate conditions affecting the alveoli, such as pneumonia or congestive heart failure. Rhonchi are similarly associated with obstruction but are characterized by low-pitched sounds resulting from secretions in larger airways, such as in bronchitis. Wheezes are high-pitched sounds produced mainly during expiration due to narrowed airways typically seen in asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While these terms describe various respiratory sounds, stridor is specifically linked to high-pitched noise due to obstruction, making it the most accurate choice in this context.