Exam 1: Pulmonary Edema Flashcards
WTF is pulmonary edema?
Excess fluid in the lungs
Pulmonary edema happens a lot with which age group?
Older folks
What is one of the most common reasons for developing pulmonary edema?
When giving too much fluid too quickly.
What are other common cases of pulmonary edema?
- HF
- Renal failure
- ARDS (fluid builds up inside the tiny air sacs of the lungs, and surfactant breaks down)
- High altitudes
- Brain trauma
- Rapidly expanding lungs
Yammer at me about the basic patho behind pulmonary edema? What’s goin’ on?
Increased pulmonary pressure → fluid leaks across pulmonary capillaries into airway and tissue
What is acute pulmonary edema (formerly known as flash pulmonary edema)?
Life-threatening emergency, results from severe fluid overload
What are a few groups of people who are at risk of developing acute pulmonary edema?
- HF, renal, older folks
- Also: Laboring parents on a lot of fluid
What are some things you would note on assessment with acute pulmonary edema?
- Crackles (sometimes just in bases)
- Cough
- SOB
- Pink, frothy sputum
- Dyspnea
- Confusion
- Tachy/dysrythmias
- Altered BP
- Reduced urinary output
- Restlessness/anxiety
- Lethargy
What are some basic/simple interventions for acute pulmonary edema?
- Reassurance
- HOB
- O2
- Monitor SpO2, VS
What are some medication interventions for acute pulmonary edema?
Diuretics → FIX UNDERLYING CAUSES
Nitroglycerin
Morphine → Opens arteries, calms people
Next steps for supporting someone with acute pulmonary edema?
- Face mask
- Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation
- Intubation/mechanical ventilation
- Medical management
- Reduce preload (pulmonary venous return → diuretics, PRE=PEE)
- Reduce afterload (systemic vascular resistance → reduce BP)
- Inotropic support
Some of the underlying diseases that cause pulmonary edema come with a high rate of _____________.
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