Pulmonary Edema ~ Fluids in the lungs

catalina

Pulmonary edema is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs. This buildup of fluid leads to shortness of breath.

Causes

Pulmonary edema is often caused by congestive heart failure. When the heart is not able to pump efficiently, blood can back up into the veins that take blood through the lungs.

As the pressure in these blood vessels increases, fluid is pushed into the air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs. This fluid reduces normal oxygen movement through the lungs. These two factors combine to cause shortness of breath.


Congestive heart failure that leads to pulmonary edema may be caused by:

~ Heart attack, or any disease of the heart that weakens or stiffens the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)

~ Leaking or narrowed heart valves (mitral or aortic valves)

~ Sudden, severe high blood pressure (hypertension)

Pulmonary edema may also be caused by:

Certain medicines

~ High altitude exposure

~ Kidney failure

~ Narrowed arteries that bring blood to the kidneys

~ Lung damage caused by poisonous gas or severe infection

~ Major injury


Symptoms

Symptoms of pulmonary edema may include:

~ Coughing up blood or bloody froth
Difficulty breathing when lying down (orthopnea)

~ Feeling of "air hunger" or "drowning" (This feeling is called "paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea" if it causes you to wake up and try to catch your breath.)

~ Grunting, gurgling, or wheezing sounds with breathing

~ Problems speaking in full sentences because of shortness of breath


Other symptoms may include:

~ Anxiety or restlessness

~ Decrease in level of alertness (consciousness)

~ Leg or abdominal swelling

~ Pale skin

~ Sweating (excessive)

catalina

Exams and Tests
Collapse Section
Exams and Tests has been expanded.
The health care provider will perform a thorough physical exam.

The health care provider will listen to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope to check for:

Abnormal heart sounds
Crackles in your lungs, called rales
Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
Other things that may be seen during the exam include:

Leg or abdominal swelling
Abnormalities of your neck veins (which can show that there is too much fluid in your body)
Pale or blue skin color (pallor or cyanosis)
Possible tests include:

Blood chemistries
Blood oxygen levels(oximetry or arterial blood gases)
Chest x-ray
Complete blood count (CBC)
Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) to see if there are problems with the heart muscle
Electrocardiogram (ECG) to look for signs of a heart attack or problems with the heart rhythm
Treatment
Collapse Section
Treatment has been expanded.
Pulmonary edema is almost always treated in the emergency room or hospital. You may need to be in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Oxygen is given through a face mask or tiny plastic tubes are placed in the nose.
A breathing tube may be placed into the windpipe (trachea) so you can be connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) if you cannot breathe well on your own.
The cause of edema should be identified and treated quickly. For example, if a heart attack has caused the condition, it must be treated right away.

Medicines that may be used include:

Diuretics that remove excess fluid from the body
Medicines that strengthen the heart muscle, control the heartbeat, or relieve pressure on the heart

catalina

Doc @ipes2,

Adakah asthma attack tu adalah sebhg drp berlakunya pulmonary edema?

she_naz

catalina replied at 9-7-2016 07:59 PM
Doc @ipes2,

Adakah asthma attack tu adalah sebhg drp berlakunya pulmonary edema?

tak...asthma tu is hypersensitivity dan keradangan saluran pernafasan dimana saluran pernafasan tu jadik kecik dan byk mukus terhasil....lain dari pulmonary edema

catalina

she_naz replied at 12-7-2016 10:26 PM
tak...asthma tu is hypersensitivity dan keradangan saluran pernafasan dimana saluran pernafasan tu ...

Thank you sis