May 24, 2017
Author: Martin O’Bryan M.D.
Educational Pearls:
- Vocal cord dysfunction can mimic other causes of stridor, such as asthma and upper airway obstruction.
- Patients are often very anxious because of the difficulty of inspiration.
- The definitive diagnosis is laryngoscopy that must be done by a pulmonologist.
- The treatment is general reassurance, asthma medications will not help. CPAP and heliox can be used to help with the stridor.
- Benzodiazepines can be used to reduce the associated anxiety.
References: https://asthmarp.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40733-015-0009-z