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Edema

Edema Overview

Edema (or Oedema) is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in certain tissues within the body. The accumulation of fluid may be under the skin - usually in dependent areas such as the legs (peripheral edema, or ankle edema), or it may accumulate in the lungs (pulmonary edema). The location of edema can provide the health care practitioner the first clues in regard to the underlying cause of the fluid accumulation.

Edema Causes

The balance and regulation of fluid in the body is very complex. In short, the cause of edema as simply defined as possible, is that tiny blood vessels in the body (capillaries) leak fluid into the surrounding tissues. This excess fluid causes the tissues to swell.

The cause of fluid leaking into the surrounding tissues may be the result of several mechanisms, for example:

  1. too much force, or pressure inside the blood vessels;

  2. a force outside of the blood vessel causes the fluid to be drawn through it; or

  3. the wall of the blood vessel is compromised and cannot maintain equilibrium.

Each of these three mechanisms may be associated with a variety of diseases or conditions. Examples include the following.

  • Pregnancy: Edema during pregnancy may occur because pregnant women have a greater volume of fluid circulating in the body, and because they also retain more fluid. A woman may also experience postpartum edema.

  • Medications: Edema may be caused by a variety of medications, for example, steroids, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), thiazolidinediones, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), estrogens, etc.).

  • Liver disease and/or kidney disease: Both of these organs are vital in maintaining fluid balance in the body, and if severe disease is present in either of these organ systems, edema can develop. Examples include: cirrhosis of the liver, chronic kidney disease, and acute kidney failure.

  • Venous insufficiency: This is a common condition in which blood does not return to the heart efficiently from the peripheral areas of the body (for example, the ankles, legs, feet, hands), which results in edema. This typically results in edema in both legs.

  • Heart failure: If the heart is weak and cannot pump blood efficiently, blood will pool in particular areas of the body, which will cause fluid to leak from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues.

    • If the right side of the heart is weak, pressure will build in the peripheral tissues in the body (hands, ankles, feet, legs). This is referred to as peripheral edema.

    • If the left side of the heart is weak, pressure will build in the lungs, causing pulmonary edema.

  • Idiopathic edema: Accumulation of fluid in surrounding tissues with no identifiable cause is referred to as idiopathic edema.


Next: Edema Symptoms »

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Edema

Pulmonary Hypertension Overview

Pulmonary arteries are the blood vessels that move blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs where oxygen is received into the blood. The oxygenated blood (blood which carries oxygen) is then transported back to the left side of the heart via the pulmonary veins.

The pressure of blood circulating in the pulmonary arteries (pulmonary blood pressure) is normally significantly lower than the systemic blood pressure (pressure of blood measured routinely which is coming out the left side of the heart). Normal systemic systolic blood pressure is typically between 120 to 140 mmHg. In the pulmonary system, the blood pressure is typically 20 to 25 mmHg.

If the pressure in the pulmonary arteries abnormally rises for any reason, the condition is referred to as  pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery hypertension, or pulmonary arterial hypertension. In general, this rise in pressure is caused by ...

Read the Pulmonary Hypertension article »



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