Pulmonary Edema - Symptoms & Treatment
Pulmonary edema or oedema is swelling and fluid accumulation in the lungs and usually as the heart's left ventricle does not pump passably. It result to impaired gas exchange and may cause respiratory failure. It is because of either failure of the heart to remove fluid from the lung circulation. Pulmonary edema is a common intricacy of heart disorders, and most cases of the condition are associated with heart failure. Pulmonary edema can be a chronic condition, or it can develop all of a sudden and quickly become life menacing. The life-threatening type of pulmonary edema occurs when a huge amount of fluid suddenly fluctuates from the pulmonary blood vessels into the lung, due to lung problems, heart attack, trauma, or toxic chemicals. It can also be the first sign of coronary heart disease. Pulmonary edema is a common complication of heart disorders, and most cases of the condition are related with heart failure. Pulmonary edema happens in the cardiopulmonary system. The cycle starts when LV systolic dysfunction decreases myocardial contractility and cardiac output, activating the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system and provoking catecholamine production.
Systemic vascular resistance increases and increases myocardial wall hypotension and myocardial ischemia, worsens LV function and cardiac output, and eternalizes the cycle. The increase in myocardial wall tension also leads to synchronic diastolic dysfunction, which increases pulmonary artery and pulmonary capillary pressures. Pulmonary capillary hydrostatic pressure overreaches the pulmonary interstitial pressure, transudation of fluid in the pulmonary interstitium and alveoli occurs. Symptoms of pulmonary edema first is succinctness of breath upon exertion, sudden respiratory distress after sleep difficulty breathing, except when sitting upright, coughing, excessive sweating, pale skin and chest pain. Your lungs are two squashy, elastic organs inside your rib cage that stretch and contract as you breathe. Your lungs can hold up to 4 quarts of air, you generally inhale only a fraction of which with each breath. Two major airways carry air into your lungs. These airways subdivide into smaller airways which eventually end in clusters of tiny air sacs. Each lung has about 300 million air sacs, that inflate like miniature balloons every time you inhale.
Causes of Pulmonary Edema
Common causes and risk factor's of Pulmonary Edema include the following :
- Pulmonary arterial vasoconstriction.
- Stress.
- Fluid retention.
- High blood pressure.
- Cold temperatures.
- Physical exertion at high altitude.
- Smoking.
- Diabetes.
- Blood transfusion .
- Central nervous system injury.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Edema
Some common Symptoms of Pulmonary Edema :
- Tightness and pain in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Paleness.
- Wheezing, coughing.
- Bluish nails and lips.
- Shortness of breath.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Anxiety.
- Cough.
- Restlessness.
Treatment of Pulmonary Edema
- Nitroglycerin, morphine, diuretics, angiogenesis-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are used in the drug therapy.
- The treatment of pulmonary edema includes minimizing the amount of fluid in the lungs, improve gas exchange.
- Oxygen therapy.
- Alpha-adrenergic antagonists such as phentolamine (still experimental).
- Diuretic therapy.
- Mechanical ventilation.
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