Fluid in Lungs

Fluid in lungs Pulmonary Edema, better known as Fluid in The Lungs, can be a life threatening condition. In pulmonary edema, there is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the tiny air sacs of the lungs. These air sacs, called alveoli, coat the inside of the lungs - 300 million of them, in fact. They look like very tiny clusters of grapes. When you inhale, the oxygen is absorbed by the alveoli; when you exhale, the carbon dioxide is released by the alveoli. When you have fluid in the lungs, it gets trapped inside those little air sacs, making it tough to breathe.

There are many reasons for pulmonary edema. Heart problems can cause it, as can some medical issues, such as pneumonia">Pneumonia. Certain medications or toxins can cause it, and sometimes it is caused by living or exercising at higher elevations.

Symptoms and Complications of Fluid in Lungs
Fluid in the lungs can build up slowly, or it can set in very quickly, depending upon the cause. These are the symptoms to look out for and the complications fluid in the lungs can cause:

Symptoms of Acute Fluid in Lungs. When you have sudden onset of pulmonary edema, you might find it very difficult to breathe. You could wheeze or gasp for breath, or feel as though you are drowning. You might cough up blood, have a feeling of doom or experience chest pain, sweating and a fast heartbeat.

Symptoms of Chronic Fluid in Lungs. The signs of long-term fluid in the lungs include shortness of breath when you are active, difficulty breathing with exertion, wheezing, swelling of your ankles and legs, rapid weight gain from fluid buildup, and waking up at night feeling breathless. All of these symptoms can also lead to fatigue.

Complications. There are many complications that accompany pulmonary edema. These can include swelling of your ankles or legs, swelling of your abdomen, swelling of the liver, and buildup of fluid in the membranes surrounding your lungs.

When to See a Doctor. If you have signs of quick onset pulmonary edema, get to the emergency room. This is a life-threatening emergency! Chronic pulmonary edema happens over time, so mention any signs of it to your doctor at the first opportunity. But even if you have known fluid in the lungs, get to the emergency room if you have significant changes, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, pale or grey skin, pink sputum when you cough, a bubbling sound when you breathe, a drop in Blood Pressure, dizziness, lightheadedness, or a feeling of suffocation.

Causes of Fluid in Lungs
A deeper understanding of the causes of fluid in the lungs can help you recognize symptoms and know when it's time to get help. Fluid in lungs can be caused by numerous problems.

Cardiac Causes
Your heart and lungs work together as a team. When one of them is not working well, the other doesn't either. When your heart is struggling, it might not be able to move the blood effectively, thus resulting in pulmonary edema and other problems. These are common reasons for fluid in lungs:

Coronary Artery Disease. When you have a weakened heart, which means the muscle doesn't pump as hard as it should. The result is blood backing up into your lungs. This makes the fluid in your bloods pass into the air sacs.

Cardiomyopathy. If your heart is damaged by something other than blood flow problems, doctors call it cardiomyopathy. Your damaged heart tries to beat harder with activity, but it can't keep up, so fluid backs up into the lungs.

Heart Valve Issues. If the valves of your heart don't open or close completely, there are problems with blood flow. This can build up pressure in the heart. This increase in pressure means fluid can back up into your lungs. If it happens suddenly, you might experience acute pulmonary edema - a serious emergency.

High Blood Pressure. When your blood pressure is high, your arteries have to work much harder. Over time, this can lead to fluid buildup in your lungs.

Non-cardiac Causes
Sometimes the pulmonary edema has nothing to do with your heart and instead is caused by something else. These are some of the most common causes:

Lung Infections. If you are dealing with a problem like pneumonia, the area where the lung is affected can become swollen and filled with fluid. This edema often goes away when the underlying cause is treated.

Toxins Exposure. Some household toxins, such as ammonia or chlorine, can cause problems if you accidentally inhale them. In addition, you can get fluid in your lungs if you aspirate, such as inhaling your own vomit.

Kidney Disease. If your Kidneys have trouble eliminating wastes from your body, the result can be fluid buildup in the body, including in the lungs.

Smoke Inhalation. If you get smoke into your lungs, such as from a house fire, the result can be serious pulmonary edema. That's because many chemicals in a fire can damage the membranes in your lungs, allowing fluid to enter.

Medication Reaction. Some medications can cause serious reactions that lead to edema. Illegal drugs can also cause this problem.

Acute Respiratory DiStress Syndrome (ARDS). This is a very serious disorder that comes on suddenly and can threaten your life. It can often develop from pneumonia, Septic Shock, severe trauma or shock.

High Altitudes. Those who exercise at over 8,000 feet might suffer from pulmonary edema. Though it isn't clear why this happens, it is probably caused by increased pressure of the blood vessels in the lungs. This is life-threatening and must be treated immediately.

Water Inhaling. Any sort of inhaling of water, including a near-drowning, can result in fluid in the lungs. Emergency medical attention can help relieve the pressure.

Remedies for Fluid in Lungs
When you have fluid in your lungs, your doctor will immediately give you oxygen. You might then be given a variety of medications that are meant to help clear the lungs and restore your normal breathing. Sometimes you might need a machine to help you breathe.

Prevention is always worth a pound of cure, so try to prevent pulmonary edema by managing stress, eating a healthy diet, avoid smoking, and limit salt. You should also watch your cholesterol, be alert for signs of heart trouble and exercise regularly.

Other ways to help prevent the problem include weighing yourself daily for any signs of swelling (as a sudden increase in weight indicates water weight, not fat), get a good amount of sleep, take your blood pressure medication if applicable, stay on a good diet and listen to your doctor's advice.

Fluid in Lungs

Fluid In Lungs

Pulmonary Edema, better known as Fluid In The Lungs, can be a life threatening condition. In pulmonary edema, there is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the tiny air sacs of the lungs. These air sacs, called alveoli, coat the inside of the lungs - 300 million of them, in fact. They look like very tiny clusters of grapes. When you inhale, the oxygen is absorbed by the alveoli; when you exhale, the carbon dioxide is released by the alveoli. When you have fluid in the lungs, it gets trapped inside those little air sacs, making it tough to breathe.

There are many reasons for pulmonary edema. Heart problems can cause it, as can some medical issues, such as Pneumonia. Certain medications or toxins can cause it, and sometimes it is caused by living or exercising at higher elevations.

Symptoms and Complications of Fluid in Lungs
Fluid in the lungs can build up slowly, or it can set in very quickly, depending upon the cause. These are the symptoms to look out for and the complications fluid in the lungs can cause:

Symptoms of Acute Fluid in Lungs. When you have sudden onset of pulmonary edema, you might find it very difficult to breathe. You could wheeze or gasp for breath, or feel as though you are drowning. You might cough up blood, have a feeling of doom or experience chest pain, sweating and a fast heartbeat.

Symptoms of Chronic Fluid in Lungs. The signs of long-term fluid in the lungs include shortness of breath when you are active, difficulty breathing with exertion, wheezing, swelling of your ankles and legs, rapid weight gain from fluid buildup, and waking up at night feeling breathless. All of these symptoms can also lead to fatigue.

Complications. There are many complications that accompany pulmonary edema. These can include swelling of your ankles or legs, swelling of your abdomen, swelling of the liver, and buildup of fluid in the membranes surrounding your lungs.

When to See a Doctor. If you have signs of quick onset pulmonary edema, get to the emergency room. This is a life-threatening emergency! Chronic pulmonary edema happens over time, so mention any signs of it to your doctor at the first opportunity. But even if you have known fluid in the lungs, get to the emergency room if you have significant changes, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, pale or grey skin, pink sputum when you cough, a bubbling sound when you breathe, a drop in Blood Pressure, dizziness, lightheadedness, or a feeling of suffocation.

Causes of Fluid in Lungs
A deeper understanding of the causes of fluid in the lungs can help you recognize symptoms and know when it's time to get help. Fluid in lungs can be caused by numerous problems.

Cardiac Causes
Your heart and lungs work together as a team. When one of them is not working well, the other doesn't either. When your heart is struggling, it might not be able to move the blood effectively, thus resulting in pulmonary edema and other problems. These are common reasons for fluid in lungs:

Coronary Artery Disease. When you have a weakened heart, which means the muscle doesn't pump as hard as it should. The result is blood backing up into your lungs. This makes the fluid in your bloods pass into the air sacs.

Cardiomyopathy. If your heart is damaged by something other than blood flow problems, doctors call it cardiomyopathy. Your damaged heart tries to beat harder with activity, but it can't keep up, so fluid backs up into the lungs.

Heart Valve Issues. If the valves of your heart don't open or close completely, there are problems with blood flow. This can build up pressure in the heart. This increase in pressure means fluid can back up into your lungs. If it happens suddenly, you might experience acute pulmonary edema - a serious emergency.

High Blood Pressure. When your blood pressure is high, your arteries have to work much harder. Over time, this can lead to fluid buildup in your lungs.

Non-cardiac Causes
Sometimes the pulmonary edema has nothing to do with your heart and instead is caused by something else. These are some of the most common causes:

Lung Infections. If you are dealing with a problem like pneumonia, the area where the lung is affected can become swollen and filled with fluid. This edema often goes away when the underlying cause is treated.

Toxins Exposure. Some household toxins, such as ammonia or chlorine, can cause problems if you accidentally inhale them. In addition, you can get fluid in your lungs if you aspirate, such as inhaling your own vomit.

Kidney Disease. If your kidneys have trouble eliminating wastes from your body, the result can be fluid buildup in the body, including in the lungs.

Smoke Inhalation. If you get smoke into your lungs, such as from a house fire, the result can be serious pulmonary edema. That's because many chemicals in a fire can damage the membranes in your lungs, allowing fluid to enter.

Medication Reaction. Some medications can cause serious reactions that lead to edema. Illegal drugs can also cause this problem.

Acute Respiratory DiStress Syndrome (ARDS). This is a very serious disorder that comes on suddenly and can threaten your life. It can often develop from pneumonia, Septic Shock, severe trauma or shock.

High Altitudes. Those who exercise at over 8,000 feet might suffer from pulmonary edema. Though it isn't clear why this happens, it is probably caused by increased pressure of the blood vessels in the lungs. This is life-threatening and must be treated immediately.

Water Inhaling. Any sort of inhaling of water, including a near-drowning, can result in fluid in the lungs. Emergency medical attention can help relieve the pressure.

Remedies for Fluid in Lungs
When you have fluid in your lungs, your doctor will immediately give you oxygen. You might then be given a variety of medications that are meant to help clear the lungs and restore your normal breathing. Sometimes you might need a machine to help you breathe.

Prevention is always worth a pound of cure, so try to prevent pulmonary edema by managing stress, eating a healthy diet, avoid smoking, and limit salt. You should also watch your cholesterol, be alert for signs of heart trouble and exercise regularly.

Other ways to help prevent the problem include weighing yourself daily for any signs of swelling (as a sudden increase in weight indicates water weight, not fat), get a good amount of sleep, take your blood pressure medication if applicable, stay on a good diet and listen to your doctor's advice.

Fluid in lungs

Fluid in lungs






Pulmonary Edema is the term given to the fluid accumulation in the lungs. It can happen due to many reasons and pus formation may cause swelling on the tissues surrounding the lungs. Lungs are one of the vital organs of your body which facilitates exchange of air. When lungs get inflamed it can cause serious breathing problem for the person.

There are several causes for pulmonary edema. Congestive Heart Failure may cause edema in lungs. When the heart cannot function properly it may send excess of blood into the lungs causing swelling. Pneumonia is a serious infection in upper respiratory tract which causes inflammation on the lungs. Pneumonia is caused by infection due to bacteria or virus. When the person inhales toxic gas or exposed to smoke caused by fire it can affect the lungs causing irritation. Climbing high altitudes can also cause lung infection since oxygen supply is less and pressure is high. Sometimes, problems in kidney function can cause lungs swelling or edema in lungs.

The common symptoms of edema are repeated cough, shortness of breath, pale skin, fatigue and excess of sweating. It can also cause grunting while the person breathes and sudden respiratory problem when he sleeps.

Treatment will be initiated after examining the causative factor that causes edema. The main purpose of treatment is to remove excess of fluids from the lungs and if not attended immediately, it can be fatal. Giving high doses of oxygen by face mask to facilitate breathing, administering diuretic drugs to remove fluids, and putting the patient on ventilator machine for some time until the condition improves are some of the medical remedies for pulmonary edema.

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Fluid in Lungs – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery

Fluid in lungs – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery

Fluid in Lungs Symptoms

Dependent on the medical problem, Fluid in The Lungs symptoms can suddenly appear or can slowly develop.

Symptoms and signs that suddenly develop can include:

• Feeling of drowning or suffocating


• Dangerous shortness of breath or/and trouble breathing


• Anxiety, sense of apprehension, or restlessness


• Gasping or wheezing for breath


• Cough which creates frothy sputum and can be blood tinged


• Pale skin


• Excessive Sweating


• Chest pain, especially when the fluid in the lungs is causing cardiac problems


• Irregular, rapid heartbeats known as palpitations

When an individual develops any of these symptoms – call 911 or seek medical emergency assistance immediately. Pulmonary Edema may be fatal if not quickly treated.

Symptoms and signs that gradually develop, often because of heart failure, include:

• Difficulty with breathing on exertion, usually when an individual is lying flat as opposite to sitting up


• Having more shortness of breath than usual when an individual is physically active


• Wakening during the night with a feeling of breathlessness that can be comforted by sitting up.


• Rapid gaining of weight when fluid in the lung develops because of Congestive Heart Failure, a condition where the heart pumps too little blood to meet the body’s needs. This weight gain is from the accumulation of fluid in the body, especially the legs.


• Fatigue


• Loss of appetite

Symptoms and signs of fluid in the lungs caused by higher-altitude normally include:

• Insomnia


• Headache


• Cough


• Fluid retention


• Short of breath

Should fluid in the lungs come on suddenly, it is life-threatening. Obtain emergency medical assistance if there are any of the acute symptoms and signs listed:

• A bubbly, gasping or wheezing sound when breathing


• Feeling of suffocating known as dyspnea


• Trouble breathing


• Frothy pink sputum when coughing


• Gray or blue tone to the skin


• Breathing difficulty together with plentiful sweating


• Drop in Blood Pressure that is severe


• Sudden deteriorating of any of the symptoms linked with chronic pulmonary edema or high-altitude pulmonary edema

Do not try to drive yourself to the hospital. Rather, call 911 or emergency medical care and wait where you are for help.

Fluid in Lungs Causes

The lungs have numerous elastic, small air sacs referred to as alveoli. With every breath, these sacs take in oxygen as well as release carbon dioxide. Usually this interchange of gases will take place with no complications.

But in special situations, the alveoli fills with fluid rather than air and this prevents oxygen from being immersed into the blood system. Numerous things may cause this accumulating of fluid in the lungs, but most usually have to do with the heart or cardiac pulmonary edema.
Medical problems which can cause this left ventricle to be weak and to fail eventually include:

You're reading Fluid in Lungs – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Coronary Artery Disease
As time goes by, the arteries supplying blood to the heart can turn out to be narrow from plaques or fatty deposits. A Heart Attack happens once a blood clot develops in one of the narrow arteries, blocking the flow of blood and injuring the part of the heart muscle supplied by that precise artery. The rest of the heart will try to recompensate for this loss blood to pass thru the capillary walls into the air sacs.

Cardiomyopathy
When the heart muscle is injured by causes other than blood flow problems, the condition is called cardiomyopathy. Less common reasons include viral infections, alcohol abuse as well as the toxic matter of drugs such as heroin and other types of chemotherapy.

Heart valve problems
Sometimes the valves that regulate blood flow in the left side of the heart either do not open wide enough or do not close totally. This allows blood to flow backward thru the valve. Any problem with the left ventricle causes it to work harder and harder with each contraction. Since it is working much harder, the left ventricle will eventually thicken which puts greater stress on the coronary arteries. This increasing pressure extends into the left atrium and then to the pulmonary veins, causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs

Non-cardiac pulmonary edema
Not all pulmonary edema is caused by heart disease. Fluid can leak from the capillaries in the lungs’ air sacs due to the capillaries become permeable or leaky even without the buildup of back pressure from the heart. This is known as non-cardiac pulmonary edema due to the fact that the heart is not the reason for the problem.

Some factors of non-cardiac pulmonary edema include:

• Lung infections


• Kidney disease


• Exposure to some toxins


• Smoke inhaling


• Acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS


• Adverse reaction to drugs

High altitudes
Those living in or traveling to high-altitude locations as well as mountain climbers run a risk of developing high-altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE. This is a condition that normally happens at elevations above 8000 feet and also can affect skiers or hikers who begin exercising at higher altitudes without becoming acclimated. But even individuals who have skied or hiked at high altitudes in the past are not immune.

Fluid in Lungs Treatment

The aim of treatment is the reduction or eliminating of any excess fluid from the lungs as well as improving the functioning of the heart. Treatment is different for each individual when taking into account the cause of the disease. This problem can be life threatening if not treated. But before treatment it is necessary to identify the cause of the infection in order to begin the right intervention. The following are the recommended treatments for pulmonary edema:

• High doses of oxygen using a face mask – this makes it easier to breathe


• Certain medication such as diuretics, nitroglycerin, and morphine are used for treatment. Diuretics help to remove fluid accumulated in the lungs thru urination. Often morphine is given to improve the blood flow as well as the condition of the heart. Nitroglycerin decreases the amount of fluid entering the lungs.


• Individuals with pulmonary edema which is severe might need to use a breathing machine for a long period of time.

Those diagnosed with pulmonary edema need to take medications correctly as well as on time. For this treatment to be effective, one needs to also maintain a healthy diet, reduce intake of salt, avoid smoking as well as excessive alcohol consumption. To reduce the risk of the condition, necessary safeguards needs to be taken in order to avoid further heart disease. This need to be done by following an exercise routine as well as a nutritious diet that is rich in vegetables and vitamins can prevent heart disorders.

Surgery and Fluid in Lungs

Fluid in the lungs is a complication that can occur as a result of any surgical procedure and is one of the most serious complications after surgery. This complication occurs in nearly 5% of general anesthetic as well as other major surgeries. Usually this occurs only in small amounts but it can also occur in extreme accumulations, occurring to such an extent that it interferes with the normal functioning of the lungs.

Below are precautionary measures to deal with fluid in the lungs after surgery:

• After surgery, the lungs need to be active and exercised. This is done by breathing in air, holding it for as long as possible and then letting it out.


• Be active as well as try to get back to normal movement activity as soon as possible.


• If immunity is low, the physician might advise antibiotic to prevent the chances of contracting Pneumonia