Acute Pulmonary Oedema
Pulmonary oedema, or fluid in the lung, results from many pathologies. The most important are left heart failure , fluid overload and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
In acute pulmonary oedema (APO), left ventricular failure is by far the most common cause.
Note: Severe acute pulmonary oedema is a medical emergency and requires immediate resuscitation, stabilisation and hospital admission.
A patient with acute pulmonary oedema requires immediate treatment to:
- Decrease pulmonary capillary pressure
- Eliminate excess fluid in the lungs
- Restore normal arterial oxygenation
Guidelines and clinical resources
- Acute Pulmonary Oedema Lecture Notes from Life in the Fast Lane
- Evidence-based Guidelines: Management of Acute Pulmonary Oedema from the Royal Melbourne Hospital (2005) This document provides current evidence based guidance about best practice management of Chronic Heart Failure and Acute Pulmonary Oedema…
- Factsheet for management of acute left ventricular failure from the Queensland Royal Flying Doctor Service Primary Clinical Care Manual (2009) ABC resuscitation/ the collapsed patient…
- FirstConsult article on pulmonary oedema Pulmonary edema occurs when the normal protective mechanisms that safeguard the alveolar interstitium and spaces from fluid accumulation are overcome, and fluid enters first the interstitial space and then the alveoli themselves…
- FirstConsult article on heart failure Heart failure may be left-sided, in which pulmonary edema is a predominant symptom, or right-sided, often with hepatomegaly and systemic edema…
- Ferri's "Practical Guide to the Care of the Medical Patient", 7th ed., section on cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, at MD Consult. Cardiogenic pulmonary edema is a life-threatening condition caused by severe left ventricular decompensation....
- Fulde's "Emergency Medicine", 5th ed., section on non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, at MD Consult. Non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema occurs without a rise in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. It may result from a wide variety of mechanisms…
