Phase 3 Trial of Sotatercept for Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

What Causes Pulmonary Edema, Or Fluid In The Lungs?

The Seychelles News Agency reports that an autopsy found that two vacationing American sisters  died from acute pulmonary edema, or fluid in their lungs.

According to the Mayo Clinic's website, pulmonary edema is usually cardiogenic — that is, related to a weakness or malfunction of the heart.

Noncardiogenic causes can include:

Pneumonia or other infection

High altitude

Reaction to drugs

Inhalation of a toxin, smoke or water

Brain injury

Trauma to the lung or chest wall

Originally Published: September 30, 2016 at 11:55 AM PDT

Pulmonary Edema: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, And Diagnosis - WebMD

Pulmonary edema is a buildup of fluid in your lungs. That can make it hard for you to breathe.

When you take a breath, your lungs should fill with air. If you have pulmonary edema, they fill with fluid instead. When that happens, oxygen from the air can't get from your lungs into your blood, where it's needed.

Acute pulmonary edema comes on suddenly and can be life-threatening. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 right away:

Sudden shortness of breath, especially after activity or while lying down

Feeling like you're drowning or your heart is dropping

Anxiety

Trouble breathing with a lot of sweating

Breathing that sounds bubbly, wheezing, or gasping

Coughing up pink, frothy spit

Skin that's cold and clammy or looks blue or gray

A rapid, uneven heartbeat (palpitations)

Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, weak, or sweaty, which can signal a drop in blood pressure

When the problem happens over time, it's called chronic pulmonary edema. You may:

Be tired

Gain weight rapidly (this may be a sign of fluid buildup and congestive heart failure)

Have more breathing problems than usual when you're active

Have swollen legs and feet

Have trouble breathing when lying down

Wake up at night with a breathless feeling that gets better if you sit up

Wheeze

There are two main kinds of pulmonary edema: cardiogenic and noncardiogenic.

Cardiogenic pulmonary edema

This type is caused by a problem with your heart.

In many cases, your left ventricle (one of the chambers of your heart) isn't able to pump out blood that enters through blood vessels from your lung. This creates a buildup of pressure and fluid.

Narrow arteries, heart muscle damage, heart valve problems, and high blood pressure are among the conditions that can weaken your left ventricle.

Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema

This type isn't related to heart problems. Other causes include:

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Blood clots

Brain surgery or conditions such as seizures and head injuries

High pressure in your chest after your airway is blocked

Contact with ammonia, chlorine, or other toxins

Inhaling smoke that has certain chemicals

Lung injury after removal of blood clots

Near-drowning 

Reaction to some drugs, including aspirin

Opioid overdose

Blood transfusion

Viral infections

Pneumonia

Blood poisoning or sepsis

Pulmonary edema also can be brought on from being in high altitudes, usually above 8,000 feet. Mountain climbers should get to lower ground and seek medical attention if they have:

Chest discomfort

Cough

Cough with frothy spit that may have some blood in it

Fast, irregular heartbeat

Fever

Headache

Shortness of breath when they're active that gets worse over time

Trouble walking uphill that leads to trouble walking on a flat surface

It's easy to get pulmonary edema mixed up with some other lung conditions.

Pleural effusion

Unlike pulmonary edema, in which fluid collects inside your lungs, pleural effusion is when it builds up in the layers of tissue that line the outside of your lungs and the inside of your chest. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, and a dry cough. It can be caused by problems like heart failure, blood clots, pneumonia, kidney disease, and tuberculosis.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia also leads to fluid buildup in the tiny air sacs in your lungs, but it's caused by an infection with a virus, bacteria, or fungus. Symptoms include chest pain, coughing, fatigue, a fever, shortness of breath, and stomach problems. Pneumonia can sometimes cause pulmonary edema.

To help your doctor find out what's going on, you may need to:

Answer questions about your medical history

Have a physical exam

Get a chest X-ray so the doctor can study your heart and lungs

Have heart tests to measure how well your heart beats

Have a blood test to find out how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are in your blood

If you're having trouble breathing and your oxygen level is low, you'll get oxygen right away. You may get it through a face mask, or with tubes put inside your nostrils.

Your treatment will depend on what's causing your pulmonary edema. Whether it's your heart, medication, or an illness, your doctor will try to deal with the problem that brought it on.

The doctor may prescribe medicine such as a diuretic to lower the pressure on your heart and lungs.

Some lifestyle changes can prevent pulmonary edema or help keep the condition in check. Keep your heart healthy by:

If you're going somewhere at a higher elevation, try to get used to the altitude change slowly. Talk to your doctor about medications that might make you less likely to get high-altitude pulmonary edema.

---