is swelling and/or fluid accumulation in the
Lung s. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause
Respiratory Failure .
Symptoms of pulmonary edema include
Difficulty Breathing ,
Coughing Up Blood ,
Excessive Sweating ,
Anxiety and
Pale Skin . If left untreated, it can lead to death, generally due to its main complication of
Hypoxemia .
Pulmonary edema is generally suspected due to findings in the medical history and ) can be due to pulmonary edema. The diagnosis is confirmed on
X-ray of the lungs, which shows increased vascular filling and fluid in the alveolar walls.
Low
Oxygen saturation and disturbed
Arterial Blood Gas readings may strengthen the diagnosis and provide grounds for various forms of treatment.
Pulmonary edema is either due to direct damage to the tissue or as a result of inadequate functioning of the heart or circulatory system.
Cardiogenic causes:
Non-cardiogenic causes, or ARDS (
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ):
When circulatory causes have led to pulmonary edema, treatment with nitrates (nitroglycerine), positive pressure oxygen, and
Loop Diuretic s, such as
Furosemide or
Bumetanide , is the mainstay of therapy. Secondly, one can start with noninvasive ventilation. Other useful treatments include
Glyceryl Trinitrate ,
CPAP and
Oxygen .
There are no causal therapies for direct tissue damage; removal of the causes (e.g. treating an infection) is the most important measure.
