Also known as Rales, Rattled breathing, Rhonchi, and Stridor
Crackles, crepitations, or rales (i/ˈrɑːls/ RAHLS or /ˈræls/ RALS) are the clicking, rattling, or crackling noises that may be made by one or both lungs of a human with a respiratory disease during inhalation. They are often heard only with a stethoscope ("on auscultation"). Bilateral crackles refers to the presence of crackles in both lungs.
Source: WikipediaThe most common causes of abnormal breathing sounds are obstructive sleep apnea (osa), tonsillar hypertrophy, and obesity. Other possible causes, such as tonsillitis, are more rare.
Within all the people who go to their doctor with abnormal breathing sounds, 80% report having sleepiness, 69% report having apnea, and 53% report having fatigue.
Patients with abnormal breathing sounds often receive other diagnostic procedures (interview; evaluation; consultation), other therapeutic procedures on eyelids; conjunctiva; cornea, excision, electroencephalogram (eeg), echocardiography, tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy, ophthalmologic and otologic diagnosis and treatment and diagnostic procedures on nose; mouth and pharynx .
The most commonly prescribed drugs for patients with abnormal breathing sounds include zaleplon (sonata), oxymetazoline nasal, carbidopa / levodopa, ropinirole, ciclesonide nasal, acetaminophen / pseudoephedrine, chlorothiazide, collagen topical, aminolevulinic acid topical, iodinated glycerol (organidin), cevimeline (evoxac), clavulanate (augmentin) and methylsulfonylmethane .
Zaleplon (Sonata) | $35 (28 days) | |
Oxymetazoline Nasal | ||
Ropinirole | $41 (28 days) | |
Ciclesonide Nasal | ||
Chlorothiazide | $7 (28 days) | |
Collagen Topical | ||
Aminolevulinic Acid Topical | ||
Iodinated Glycerol (Organidin) | ||
Cevimeline (Evoxac) | $175 (28 days) | |
Clavulanate (Augmentin) | ||
Methylsulfonylmethane |
Groups of people at highest risk for abnormal breathing sounds include age 45-59 years.
< 1 years | 0.9x | |
1-4 years | 0.9x | |
5-14 years | 0.9x | |
15-29 years | 0.3x | |
30-44 years | 1.1x | |
45-59 years | 1.7x | |
60-74 years | 1.2x | |
75+ years | 0.5x |
Male | 1.3x | |
Female | 0.8x |
Black | 1.0x | |
Hispanic | 0.7x | |
White | 1.1x | |
Other | 0.7x |