Pulmonary Edema - Inpatient
This condition occurs when fluid occupies the tissues and air spaces in the lungs. This usually leads to shortness of breath and other symptoms.
Pulmonary edema is when fluid occupies the tissues and air spaces of the lungs. The buildup of fluid into the lungs usually leads to shortness of breath and other symptoms. One common cause of pulmonary edema is an inability of the heart to pump blood effectively. This is known as heart failure. Heart failure can be caused by:
- Poor blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia) or a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart valve(s) that are leaky or narrowed
- Cardiomyopathy (diseases of the heart muscle)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
Pulmonary edema can also be caused by conditions unrelated to heart disease, including:
- Kidney disease
- Lung disease or severe infection
- Effects of certain medications
- Exposure to high altitude
- Major injuries
The symptoms of pulmonary edema can appear quickly (acute) or develop over a period of time (chronic). Some of the symptoms of acute pulmonary edema include:
- Extreme shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- A feeling of suffocating or drowning
- Swollen veins in the neck
- Anxiety, restlessness or a sense of apprehension
- Coughing with sputum that is frothy and sometimes pink tinged
- Chest pain (usually if coronary heart disease is the cause of the pulmonary edema)
- Heartbeat that is rapid and irregular (palpitations)
- Profuse sweating and skin that is blue, gray, or mottled.
- A sudden increase in symptoms associated with chronic pulmonary edema or high-altitude pulmonary edema
These symptoms indicate a medical emergency and require immediate medical attention. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 or emergency medical assistance right away.
Some of the symptoms of chronic pulmonary edema include:
Increased shortness of breath with exertion Difficulty breathing when lying flat. Wheezing General weight gain or swelling, especially in your legs. Fatigue or tiredness Pulmonary edema caused by high-altitude exposure can also lead to headaches, which may be the first symptom experienced.
Symptoms of pulmonary edema indicate a medical emergency and require immediate medical attention. If you have symptoms of pulmonary edema, call 911 or emergency medical assistance right away.
- If possible, have documentation of your medical history (past illnesses, surgeries and hospitalizations) and your medications (including over-the-counter).
- If you are hospitalized, before you are discharged you should know your diagnosis, what tests you had, and what medications you were given.
- Upon discharge, make sure you understand your treatment plan and what medications are ordered (including possible side effects).
- If your healthcare provider prescribes a medication for you to take at home, ask for a generic version. If your doctor thinks that a generic version is not right for you, ask for a medication on the lowest available tier of your Prescription Drug List (PDL).
What should I ask my healthcare provider about condition?
- What is causing my pulmonary edema?
- What are my treatment options?
- What tests do I need? What is the reason for those tests? Will the test results change my treatment plan?
- Do I have to be hospitalized? For how long?
- What are the potential side effects of the medications? What if the medication does not work?
- How long will I have to take the medication?
- Do I need to restrict any of my activities?
- How should I monitor my condition and under what circumstances should I seek medical help?
Source UHC.com
Also known as:
SwellingPulmonary Edema - InpatientLungFluidEdemaCongestive Heart FailureCHFAcute Bronchitis
Pulmonary edema is when fluid occupies the tissues and air spaces of the lungs. The buildup of fluid into the lungs usually leads to shortness of breath and other symptoms. One common cause of pulmonary edema is an inability of the heart to pump blood effectively. This is known as heart failure. Heart failure can be caused by:
- Poor blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia) or a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart valve(s) that are leaky or narrowed
- Cardiomyopathy (diseases of the heart muscle)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
Pulmonary edema can also be caused by conditions unrelated to heart disease, including:
- Kidney disease
- Lung disease or severe infection
- Effects of certain medications
- Exposure to high altitude
- Major injuries
The symptoms of pulmonary edema can appear quickly (acute) or develop over a period of time (chronic). Some of the symptoms of acute pulmonary edema include:
- Extreme shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- A feeling of suffocating or drowning
- Swollen veins in the neck
- Anxiety, restlessness or a sense of apprehension
- Coughing with sputum that is frothy and sometimes pink tinged
- Chest pain (usually if coronary heart disease is the cause of the pulmonary edema)
- Heartbeat that is rapid and irregular (palpitations)
- Profuse sweating and skin that is blue, gray, or mottled.
- A sudden increase in symptoms associated with chronic pulmonary edema or high-altitude pulmonary edema
These symptoms indicate a medical emergency and require immediate medical attention. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 or emergency medical assistance right away.
Some of the symptoms of chronic pulmonary edema include:
Pulmonary edema caused by high-altitude exposure can also lead to headaches, which may be the first symptom experienced.
Symptoms of pulmonary edema indicate a medical emergency and require immediate medical attention. If you have symptoms of pulmonary edema, call 911 or emergency medical assistance right away.
- If possible, have documentation of your medical history (past illnesses, surgeries and hospitalizations) and your medications (including over-the-counter).
- If you are hospitalized, before you are discharged you should know your diagnosis, what tests you had, and what medications you were given.
- Upon discharge, make sure you understand your treatment plan and what medications are ordered (including possible side effects).
- If your healthcare provider prescribes a medication for you to take at home, ask for a generic version. If your doctor thinks that a generic version is not right for you, ask for a medication on the lowest available tier of your Prescription Drug List (PDL).
What should I ask my healthcare provider about condition?
- What is causing my pulmonary edema?
- What are my treatment options?
- What tests do I need? What is the reason for those tests? Will the test results change my treatment plan?
- Do I have to be hospitalized? For how long?
- What are the potential side effects of the medications? What if the medication does not work?
- How long will I have to take the medication?
- Do I need to restrict any of my activities?
- How should I monitor my condition and under what circumstances should I seek medical help?
Source UHC.com
ProcedureRates.com helps consumers determine the average cost of common medical procedures in their location. By gathering and analyzing data from leading insurance providers across the US, patients can compare the estimated price of common medical procedures to determine their approximate out-of-pocket expenses. All rates are approximations and not guarantees based on data that is available to the consumer. There are currently 638 procedures available in our database. These results and the information contained within should in no way take the place of actual medical advice.
Do not avoid getting health care based on the information on this site. Not affiliated with any insurance provider, hospital, or medical professional. Prices are just estimates based on available data, and may vary based on plan, state, and provider. For informational purposes only.