High altitude pulmonary edema

John West, Robert Schoene, Andrew Luks, James Milledge in High Altitude Medicine and Physiology 5E, 2013

High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a potentially lethal form of mountain sickness which, like acute mountain sickness (AMS), affects previously healthy people who go rapidly to high altitude. A few hours after arrival, patients most commonly suffer the usual symptoms of AMS, but then become more breathless than their companions. Over the next few hours, the breathlessness increases, a cough develops which is first dry but later productive of frothy white sputum. The sputum may become blood-tinged. The signs of obvious pulmonary edema are found, and cyanosis may be detected. Some patients literally drown in their own secretions and become comatose and can die if no action is taken. Patients have tachycardia and tachypnea with mild pyrexia and leukocytosis and a characteristic x-ray appearance. The pathology, in fatal cases, is of patchy edema of the lungs.

High altitude pulmonary edema

James Milledge, John West, Robert Schoene in High Altitude Medicine and Physiology, 2007

High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a potentially lethal form of mountain sickness which, like acute mountain sickness (AMS), affects previously healthy persons who go rapidly to high altitude. A few hours after arrival patients suffer the usual symptoms of AMS but then become more breathless than their companions. Over the next few hours the breathlessness increases, a cough develops which is first dry but later productive of frothy white sputum. The sputum may become blood-tinged. The signs of obvious pulmonary edema are found and cyanosis may be detected. Some patients literally drown in their own secretions and become comatose and can die if no action is taken. Patients have tachycardia and tachypnea with mild pyrexia and leucocytosis and a characteristic X-ray appearance. The pathology, in fatal cases, is of patchy edema of the lungs.

Noninfectious Pulmonary Manifestations of Renal Disease In Children

Lourdes R. Laraya-Cuasay, Walter T. Hughes in Interstitial Lung Diseases in Children, 2019

Pulmonary disease with renal failure includes pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, uremic pneumonia, pleuritis, pulmonary calcification, hemosiderosis, and fibrosis. In acute renal failure, the degree of uremic pulmonary edema is related to the degree of azotemia. In chronic renal failure the severity of uremic pulmonary edema is not directly associated with the degree of azotemia as one sees hyalinization of alveolar septa, casts of bronchioles, and interstitial fibrosis. The primary pulmonary findings in the nephrotic syndrome are pulmonary edema and pleural effusion. All the pulmonary changes of acute and chronic renal failure may be seen in the patient who is on peritoneal dialysis. Pulmonary problems during peritoneal dialysis may be the result of abdominal distention during dialysis with elevation of the diaphragm and pressure on the lower lobes of the lung. Any subacute or chronic lung infiltrate in renal disease, especially in those who have had immunosuppression could represent a malignancy.

Unilateral pulmonary edema and acute severe mitral regurgitation associated with operatively repaired aortic coarctation

Published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 2021

Alireza Nathani, Clinton Jones, Shekhar A. Ghamande, Shirley F. Jones

Cardiogenic pulmonary edema classically presents bilaterally and with a symmetric distribution. Occasionally, cardiogenic pulmonary edema can present unilaterally, which carries an independent risk for mortality, possibly due to the delayed diagnosis. The most common cardiogenic cause of unilateral pulmonary edema is acute mitral regurgitation, frequently described in the setting of acute coronary syndrome. Here we describe a case of unilateral pulmonary edema caused by acute mitral regurgitation outside the setting of acute coronary syndrome.

Fulminant Pulmonary Edema Following Intravenous Administration of Radiocontrast Media

Published in Acta Clinica Belgica, 1990

O. Vandenplas, Ph. Hantson, A. Dive, P. Mahieu

Summary A 29-year-old woman who developed fulminant pulmonary edema several minutes after intravenous administration of radiocontrast media (RCM) is reported. The low pulmonary-capillary wedge pressure and the high protein concentration in pulmonary edema fluid indicated a noncardiogenic pulmonary edema related to increased lung vascular permeability. Laboratory studies showed a slight decrease of several complement components (C3, C4 and factor B) and a transient consumption coagulopathy. Potential pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in RCMinduced pulmonary edema are discussed.

Detecting the presence and cause of pulmonary edema

Published in Postgraduate Medicine, 1993

Gene L. Colice

Preview Prompt recognition of pulmonary edema is important to avoid life-threatening complications. Chest radiography and other tests are key to establishing the diagnosis and distinguishing between the two types of pulmonary edema—cardiogenic and noncardiogenic. Dr Colice discusses the mechanisms that lead to pulmonary edema, the various diagnostic methods, prognosis, and management.