Obstruktive

Obstruktive is an adjective used in several languages, notably German and Dutch, to describe something that blocks, narrows, or obstructs a passage. The term derives from the Latin obstruere, “to block,” and is cognate with the English word obstructive. In medical contexts it denotes diseases or conditions characterized by obstruction of a passageway, most often the airways or the urinary tract.

In pulmonology, obstruktive lung diseases refer to conditions in which the airways are narrowed or blocked, leading to limited airflow. The better-known English equivalent is obstructive, as in obstructive sleep apnea, obstructive bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In urology, obstructive uropathy describes blockage in the urinary tract that impedes urine flow. The common thread across usages is a blockage or narrowing that interferes with normal function.

Linguistic variation exists across languages. In German, the base form is obstruktiv, with inflected forms such as obstruktive appearing in certain phrases. In Dutch, the corresponding term is obstructieve. Despite spelling differences, the underlying meaning—pertaining to obstruction or blockage—remains the same, and the term is used primarily as a descriptive mechanism rather than a disease by itself.

Usage notes: obstruktive is not a standalone disease but a descriptive label. Clinicians distinguish obstructive conditions from restrictive ones, where the problem is reduced capacity or stiffness rather than an obstruction. The term is common in medical literature as part of compound terms that specify the site and nature of the obstruction.