Question

A common clinical manifestation of pulmonary infections is pulmonary edema. Explain what leads to the accumulation of fluid in the alveolar spaces and explain how pulmonary edema impairs lung function.

Answer 1

Pulmonary edema is a clinical manifestation of pulmonary infections in which abnormal  accumulation of fluid in the interstitial tissue and alveolor spaces of the lungs occurs. It is caused in most of cases due to cardiac disorders ie congestive heart failure , Acute myocardial infraction but non cardiac disorder such as acute respiratory distess syndrome, sepsis also caused pulmonary edema.

Pulmonary edema is caused due to impairment in the contraction property of the left ventricle of heart which leads to decrease in the ejection amount of blood from left ventricle thst enters it resulting in a drastic increase in end diastolic volume and pressure. Due to this hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary vein increases more than blood osmotic pressure. Thereby fluid leaked from pulmonary capillaries accumulated in intestinal tissue and alveolar space.this fluid accumulation cause congestion of alveoli which are main site of gaseous exchange in lungs so result in decreased gaseous exchange and prevailing of hypoxia.