Pulmonary Edema
What is it?
Pulmonary edema is a buildup of fluid in the lungs.
Who gets it?
People with heart disease are likely to develop pulmonary edema.
What causes it?
In most cases, pulmonary edema occurs because of some malfunction of the heart. When the heart is not working at its full capacity, fluid can back up into the veins of the lungs. When this happens, the lungs have difficulty exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. Pulmonary edema can occur as a complication of heart attack, mitral or aortic valve disease, or heart disease affecting the left side of the heart. In rare cases, people may develop pulmonary edema after having acute mountain sickness. This is called high altitude pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema can also occur in infants who have been given too much fluid.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of pulmonary edema is extreme shortness of breath. At first this occurs only during exertion. Then, the patient begins to have difficulty breathing even when at rest. Lying down can make the patient feel as if he or she is drowning, causing gasping and wheezing. Other symptoms may include a loose, bubbly cough, and coughing up pink-tinged or bloody phlegm.
How is it diagnosed?
Pulmonary edema can be heard as crackles in the lungs or abnormal heart sounds by listening to the chest through a stethoscope. Other diagnostic tests include chest x-ray and echocardiogram, a painless test that uses high frequency
ultrasound waves to create a picture of the heart and its function.
What is the treatment?
Pulmonary edema is considered life threatening. High concentrations of oxygen are given either by face mask or a tube inserted through the windpipe (trachea). A number of medications, including diuretics and vasodilators, can help remove fluids from the lungs and improve heart function. Drugs, such as morphine, may also be given to help reduce the anxiety caused by breathing difficulties.
Self-care tips
While pulmonary edema cannot be prevented in many cases, immediate treatment can result in a complete cure.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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