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Pulmonary Edema

Pulmonary edema causes accumulation of fluid in the lungs leading to shortness of breath and coughing of blood. Although it is commonly caused due to congestive heart failure, there might be other reasons that increase your risk of suffering from this lung condition. Our expert Dr Manisha Mendiratta,Consultant Respiratory Medicine, Saroj Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi lends some significant inputs on this topic.

Causes

Pulmonary oedema is the abnormal build-up of fluid in the air sacs of the lungs because of disorders such as –

Congestive heart failure

Kidney failure

Major injury

Lung damage (caused mainly by infection or poisonous gas)

Exposure to high altitudes

Here are 10 common types of heart disease you should know about. Risk Factors

Dr Manisha explains, 'Patients suffering from heart problems or heart failure are at an increased risk of pulmonary edema. However, it does not mean that every case of pulmonary edema is due to heart problems.' Here are some of the common risk factors that make you susceptible to this lung condition -

Read about Hyperventilation — causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention. Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of pulmonary edema which might experience, if suffering from the condition are -

Diagnosis

Pulmonary edema is diagnosed based on symptoms (like shortness of breath, coughing up blood and chest pain) and physical examination. Test done used to diagnosed pulmonary edema may include –

Chest X-ray: Chest X-ray is a simple, useful imaging test for diagnosing a lot of heart conditions like congestive heart failure, enlargement of the heart, heart infections and lung problems.

Blood test: It is mainly recommended to check oxygen levels in the blood and thus, determine the efficiency of lung and heart function.

ECG or echocardiography: It helps in the diagnosis of an underlying heart disease thereby aiding in the treatment option. Here are 8 tests that can tell if you have heart disease.

Pulse oximetry: A procedure used to measure blood levels of oxygen (or oxygen saturation in the blood); this test helps in the diagnosis of pulmonary oedema and also aids in the determination of the cause of the condition.

Pulmonary artery catheterization: In this procedure, a catheter is inserted into a pulmonary artery to determine the severity of heart disease or any inflammation of the organ.

Here's everything you should know about Lung Function Tests (LFTs).

Treatment

The conventional measures used to treat pulmonary edema include –

Medications: The drugs that are normally prescribed for people suffering from this condition include diuretics (to remove excess fluid from the body). Also, medicines that improve heart functioning by controlling heartbeat, relieving pressure and strengthening heart muscle are also recommended.

Ventilation: In cases of emergency, oxygen is supplied to the heart and lungs through a face mask or with the help of a breathing tube attached to the ventilator (a breathing machine).

 

Other effective treatment options that are currently gaining significance include use of liposomes. According to Dr Manisha'Use of liposomal drugs or delivery of drugs through liposomes is one of the most advanced treatment option that is been used to treat pulmonary oedema in recent times. Liposomes are microscopic phospholipids bubbles with a bilayered membrane structure that are targeted to delivery drugs to the affected area'.

Read about Tara asana — a asana to strengthen your lungs.

Prognosis

Although the prognosis of this condition is dependent on the cause, in most cases it gets better in quick time. In some case, you might need to use a breathing machine for a long time for effective results. If left untreated, pulmonary edema can be life-threatening.

Prevention

Pulmonary edema is not always preventable, but there are few measures that can help you to reduce the risk of suffering from this condition. Here are few tips from our expert Dr Manisha -

Effective control of underlying disease

Stay away from factors that increase your risk of suffering from the condition

Exercise regularly as it improves your heart and lung function

Maintain a healthy weight and lead an active lifestyle

Eat foods low in salt and fat and include more of healthy nutrients in your diet.

Quit smoking to prevent a wide range of health complications

 

The content has been verified by Dr Manisha Mendiratta,Consultant Respiratory Medicine, Saroj Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi.

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Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD; also atherosclerotic heart disease) is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries that supply the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) with oxygen and nutrients. It is sometimes also called coronary heart disease (CHD). Although CAD is the most common cause of CHD, it is not the only one.

CAD is the leading cause of death worldwide. While the symptoms and signs of coronary artery disease are noted in the advanced state of disease, most individuals with coronary artery disease show no evidence of disease for decades as the disease progresses before the first onset of symptoms, often a "sudden" heart attack, finally arises. After decades of progression, some of these atheromatous plaques may rupture and (along with the activation of the blood clotting system) start limiting blood flow to the heart muscle. The disease is the most common cause of sudden death, and is also the most common reason for death of men and women over 20 years of age. According to present trends in the United States, half of healthy 40-year-old males will develop CAD in the future, and one in three healthy 40-year-old women. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Northern Ireland is the country with the most occurrences of CAD. By contrast, the Maasai of Africa have almost no heart disease.

As the degree of coronary artery disease progresses, there may be near-complete obstruction of the lumen of the coronary artery, severely restricting the flow of oxygen-carrying blood to the myocardium. Individuals with this degree of coronary artery disease typically have suffered from one or more myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), and may have signs and symptoms of chronic coronary ischemia, including symptoms of angina at rest and flash pulmonary edema.

A distinction should be made between myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction. Ischemia means that the amount of blood supplied to the tissue is inadequate to supply the needs of the tissue. When the myocardium becomes ischemic, it does not function optimally. When large areas of the myocardium becomes ischemic, there can be impairment in the relaxation and contraction of the myocardium. If the blood flow to the tissue is improved, myocardial ischemia can be reversed. Infarction means that the tissue has undergone irreversible death due to lack of sufficient oxygen-rich blood.

An individual may develop a rupture of an atheromatous plaque at any stage of the spectrum of coronary artery disease. The acute rupture of a plaque may lead to an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack).

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