ademhalingsgeluiden

Ademhalingsgeluiden, also known as breath sounds, are the noises produced by the movement of air through the respiratory tract. These sounds are a crucial component of physical examination in medicine, providing valuable diagnostic information about the state of the lungs and airways.

Normal breath sounds are typically heard during auscultation with a stethoscope. The most common normal breath sounds are vesicular sounds, which are soft, low-pitched sounds heard over most of the lung fields, indicating air entering the alveoli. Bronchial breath sounds, which are louder, higher-pitched, and hollow-sounding, are normally heard over the trachea and large bronchi. Bronchovesicular sounds are an intermediate between vesicular and bronchial sounds, heard over the main bronchi.

Abnormal breath sounds, or adventitious breath sounds, can indicate a variety of respiratory conditions. Crackles (rales) are brief, popping or crackling sounds that can be heard during inspiration or expiration, often associated with fluid in the alveoli or small airways, as seen in pneumonia or heart failure. Wheezes are continuous, high-pitched whistling sounds, usually heard during expiration, caused by narrowed airways, common in asthma or COPD. Rhonchi are continuous, low-pitched rattling or snoring sounds, often associated with secretions in the larger airways. Stridor is a harsh, high-pitched sound heard primarily during inspiration, indicating significant upper airway obstruction. Pleural friction rubs are creaking or grating sounds heard during both inspiration and expiration, caused by inflamed pleural surfaces rubbing against each other. The presence, timing, and quality of these sounds help clinicians diagnose and monitor respiratory diseases.