Treatment of pulmonary edema usually focuses on improving respiratory function and dealing with the source of the problem. It generally includes providing additional oxygen and medications to treat the underlying conditions. A breathing tube may be placed into the trachea if a ventilator, or breathing machine, is necessary. If tests show that the pulmonary edema is because of a problem in the circulatory system, the patient will be treated with intravenous medications to help remove fluid volume and control blood pressure.
During normal breathing, the small air sacs in the lungs — alveoli — fill up with air. Oxygen is taken in, and carbon dioxide is expelled. Pulmonary edema occurs when the alveoli are flooded. Congestive heart failure is a common cause of cardiogenic pulmonary edema; in this condition, the left ventricle cannot pump out enough blood to meet the needs of the body.
This causes a buildup of pressure in other parts of the circulatory system, forcing fluid into the air sacs of the lungs and other parts of the body. Causes of pulmonary edema that are not due to poor heart function are called noncardiogenic; they are typically caused by ARDS acute respiratory distress syndrome.
This is a severe inflammation of the lungs that leads to pulmonary edema and significant breathing difficulties. Acute pulmonary edema causes significant breathing difficulties and can appear without warning. This is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention. Without proper treatment and support, it can be fatal.
Along with breathing difficulties, other signs and symptoms of acute pulmonary edema can include:. Typical symptoms include:. Pulmonary edema happens when fluid collects inside the lungs, in the alveoli, making it hard to breathe.
Instead, call or emergency medical care and wait for help. The causes of pulmonary edema vary. Pulmonary edema is grouped into two categories, depending on where the problem started. Understanding the relationship between your lungs and your heart can help explain why pulmonary edema may occur.
Your lungs contain many small, elastic air sacs called alveoli. With each breath, these air sacs take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Normally, this exchange of gases occurs without problems. But sometimes, the alveoli fill with fluid instead of air, preventing oxygen from being absorbed into your bloodstream.
A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers. The upper chambers, the right and left atria, receive incoming blood. The lower chambers, the more muscular right and left ventricles, pump blood out of the heart.
The heart valves, which keep blood flowing in the right direction, are gates at the chamber openings. Your heart is made of two upper and two lower chambers. The upper chambers the right and left atria receive incoming blood and pump it into the lower chambers right and left ventricles.
The lower chambers pump blood out of your heart. Normally, deoxygenated blood from all over your body enters the right atrium then the right ventricle, where it's pumped through large blood vessels pulmonary arteries to your lungs. There, the blood releases carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen as it flows by the alveoli.
The oxygen-rich blood then returns to the left atrium through the pulmonary veins, flows through the mitral valve into the left ventricle and finally leaves your heart through the largest blood vessel in the body, called the aorta.
The heart valves keep blood flowing in the correct direction. The aortic valve keeps the blood from flowing backward into your heart. From the aorta, the blood travels to the rest of your body. It's usually a result of heart failure. When a diseased or overworked left ventricle can't pump out enough of the blood it gets from your lungs, pressures in the heart go up. The increased pressure pushes fluid through the blood vessel walls into the air sacs.
In normal lungs, air sacs alveoli take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. In high-altitude pulmonary edema HAPE , it's theorized that vessels in the lungs constrict, causing increased pressure. This causes fluid to leak from the blood vessels to the lung tissues and eventually into the air sacs. Pulmonary edema that is not caused by increased pressures in your heart is called noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Heart failure and other heart conditions that raise pressure in the heart increase the risk of pulmonary edema.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of acute pulmonary edema, this is an emergency and you should seek medical attention straight away. To receive a diagnosis of pulmonary edema, your healthcare provider will listen to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope for rapid breathing or an abnormal heartbeat. Your doctor may also obtain an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram , ultrasound , X-ray , or CT scan of the heart and chest to check the condition of the heart and evaluate for any fluid in the lungs.
Since cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of pulmonary edema, maintaining heart health is key to prevention. There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to prevent the condition, including:. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. Heart Health. Reviewed: January 1, Medically Reviewed. Types of Pulmonary Edema There are two main types of pulmonary edema, based on what is causing the lungs to fill up with fluid.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Pulmonary Edema. Virtual Medicine Centre. June 20, Pulmonary Edema. If not treated, this condition can be life threatening. Go to the emergency room or call or the local emergency number if you have breathing problems. Take all your medicines as directed if you have a disease that can lead to pulmonary edema or a weakened heart muscle.
Following a healthy diet that is low in salt and fat, and controlling your other risk factors can reduce the risk of developing this condition. Diagnosis and management of acute heart failure. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Pulmonary edema. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine.
Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; chap Heart failure: pathophysiology and diagnosis. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit.
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