Pulmonary edema or OA characterizes the presence of water in the lungs. It is a medical emergency because it can be fatal.
A pulmonary edema is defined by the presence of fluid in the pulmonary alveoli. THE elderly people who have a history of heart attacks and those which present risk factors (smoking, alcoholism, diabetes) are the most exposed. It’s a medical emergency. Causes, prognosishealing: the essentials to know about pulmonary edema with Dr Stéphane Boulé, cardiologist.
What is the definition of pulmonary edema?
Like all edemas, acute pulmonary edema, PAO or acute pulmonary edema, is characterized by an abnormal and sudden accumulation of fluid in the lungmore precisely in the pulmonary alveoli (small pockets where gas exchanges with the blood take place) “while normally there is no liquid in itsimply air“, immediately puts forward Dr Stéphane Boulé, cardiologist and member of the French Federation of Cardiologywho adds: “This is a medical emergency.“However, PAO is not a disease of the lungs.”This is the consequence of heart disease. This fits into what is called heart failure“.
What are the causes of pulmonary edema?
→ Cardiac dysfunction. An OAP can happen”due toheart dysfunction which no longer effectively assumes its role as a pump for various reasons“, explains Stéphane Boulé. “Whatever the cause, if the heart no longer pumps blood correctly, it then tends to stagnate upstream, in the vessels of the lung. If the pressure of the blood in these vessels becomes too great, there will be a leak of fluid from these vessels towards the alveoli of the lung.“
→ Heart damage. If the vast majority of OAPs are of cardiac originsome come from an injury and are therefore called Lesional OAP. These are caused by trauma caused by rupture of the membrane located between the vessels and the pulmonary alveoli: we speak of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). The presence of fluid in the pulmonary alveoli will be responsible for a reduction in the quality of gas exchange, leading to significant breathing difficulties, depending on the speed of the constitution and the importance of the fluid invasion.
→ A infectious or toxic pneumonia
→ One trauma
What are the symptoms to recognize lung edema?
Pulmonary edema is manifested by:
- of the sudden onset of breathing difficulties with increased respiratory rate
- increased discomfort when lying down. “The main symptom is severe shortness of breath.. The person is not breathing normally. This is an extremely distressing symptom. This induces a feeling of lack of air, of suffocation“, adds Stéphane Boulé.
- a chest pain,
- a cough,
- a bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes,
- of the sputum classically described as foamy.
If acute pulmonary edema is suspected, treatment must be carried out quickly. The doctor will inquire about the important history, in particular pre-existing heart diseases, then about the circumstances of occurrence. A clinical examination with pulmonary auscultation will confirm the existence of fluid in the lungs. Additional examinations will also be carried out:
- an x-ray of the lungs,
- an electrocardiogram,
- a blood test,
- a cardiac ultrasound.
Treatment of OAP systematically includes:
- a vasodilator (nitrated derivatives), medicine capable of dilating the vessels,
- of the diuretic injections to eliminate excess water
- and oxygen supply (“oxygen therapy”).
“OAP is often part of underlying chronic heart failure, which is therefore known and must benefit from optimal background treatment. This is an essential point. The cause must be treated, the heart disease responsible must be treated to avoid the occurrence of pulmonary edema at all costs.“, specifies Stéphane Boulé.
As for the prevention of OAP, it involves management of all common cardiovascular risk factors for everyone. Patients with cardiac pathology must follow a certain number of precise rules to avoid complications including acute lung edema. A salt-free diet, a balanced diet, weight control, Proper treatment, blood pressure control, abstaining from smoking and limiting alcohol consumption are some of the fundamental principles that help avoid the occurrence of these complications.
Thanks to Dr Stéphane Boulé, cardiologist and member of the French Federation of Cardiology.