Emergency MedicineAnaesthesia & ICUENT
Adult Upper Airway Obstruction (Stridor)
Adult stridor — anaphylaxis, angioedema, epiglottitis, foreign body, deep neck space infection, croup.
Source: DAS 2015 unanticipated difficult airway; RCEM
Used in: Anaphylaxis & Allergy
Step 1 of ~7
info
Recognise & Mobilise
Stridor (inspiratory whistle), respiratory distress, drooling, tripoding, voice change. Sit up, keep calm, do NOT examine throat (can precipitate complete obstruction). Call senior anaesthetist + ENT immediately. Difficult airway equipment, fibreoptic, surgical airway kit at bedside.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Drugs
- Dexamethasone (Paediatric) · Corticosteroid — Croup / Bacterial Meningitis / Post-Extubation Stridor / Cerebral Oedema
- Adrenaline (Anaphylaxis Protocol) · Auto-injector / IM adrenaline for anaphylaxis
- Cetuximab · Anti-EGFR Monoclonal Antibody — Head and Neck Cancer
- Cisplatin · Platinum Chemotherapy — Head and Neck Cancer
- Methotrexate · Chemotherapy / Immunosuppressant — Head and Neck / Granulomatosis
- Dexamethasone · Corticosteroid — ENT Inflammation / Croup
Pathways
- Difficult Airway Algorithm (DAS) · DAS 2015; Royal College of Anaesthetists
- Major Haemorrhage Protocol · NICE NG24; UK MHP guidelines
- New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation · ESC 2020 AF Guidelines; NICE NG196
- Hypertensive Emergency · ESC/ESH 2018 Hypertension Guidelines; NICE NG136
- Bradycardia Management · Resuscitation Council UK ABCDE; ESC 2021 Pacing Guidelines
- Ventricular Tachycardia / Fibrillation · Resuscitation Council UK ACLS; ESC 2022 Ventricular Arrhythmia Guidelines
Featured in these MRCEM clinical pathways
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MRCEM Primary / Intermediate / OSCE candidates: each pathway includes exam-style questions, RCEM/NICE citations, and FAQ summaries.
Decision support only. Always apply local guidelines and clinical judgement.