Pulmonary edema - emergency aid

First aid for pulmonary edema is a necessary measure for maintaining human vital functions.

First aid is a set of measures that are aimed at eliminating acute symptoms and providing support for life.

If there was a pulmonary edema, then first aid is to call an ambulance, as in the out-of-hospital conditions, rarely all the necessary medicines and apparatus are available. While waiting for qualified doctors, people surrounding the patient should take the necessary measures.

Pulmonary edema: clinic and emergency care

Pulmonary edema is a condition in which too much fluid accumulates in the lungs. This is due to the large difference in the indices of colloid-osmotic and hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries of the lungs.

There are two types of pulmonary edema:

Membranogenic - occurs if the permeability of capillaries has increased dramatically. This type of pulmonary edema often occurs as an escort of other syndromes.

Hydrostatic - develops due to diseases in which hydrostatic capillary pressure rises sharply, and the liquid part of the blood finds an outlet in such quantity that it can not be withdrawn through the lymphatic pathways.

Clinical manifestations

Patients with pulmonary edema complain of lack of air, have frequent shortness of breath and sometimes attacks of cardiac asthma arising during sleep.

Skin covers are pale, and from the side of the nervous system there can be inadequate reactions in the form of confusion of consciousness or its oppression.

With swelling of the lungs, the patient has a cold sweat, and when listening to the lungs, wet wheezing in the lungs is detected.

First aid

At this time it is very important to act quickly and accurately, because for lack of support the situation can deteriorate sharply.

1. Before the ambulance arrives, the people who surround the patient should help him to accept the position of a half-sitting so that he can lower his legs from the bed. This is considered the best posture for freeing the breath of the lungs: at this time, the pressure on them is minimal. Legs need to be lowered in order to relieve a small circle of blood circulation.
2. If possible, draw off mucus from the upper respiratory tract.
3. It is necessary to give maximum access to oxygen by opening the window, since oxygen starvation may occur.

When the ambulance arrives, all actions of specialists will be directed to three goals:

• reduce the excitability of the respiratory center;
• to relieve the load of the small circle of blood circulation;
• remove foaming.

In order to reduce the excitability of the respiratory center, the patient is injected with morphine, which is removed not only pulmonary edema, but also an attack of asthma. This substance is unsafe, but here it is a necessary measure - morphine selectively affects the brain centers responsible for breathing. Also, this medicine makes the flow of blood to the heart not so intense and due to this stagnation in the lung tissue decreases. The patient becomes much calmer.

This substance is administered either intravenously or subcutaneously, and after 10 minutes its effect comes. If the pressure is lowered, instead of morphine, promedol is administered, which has a less pronounced but similar effect.

Strong diuretics (eg, furosemide) are also used to relieve pressure.

To relieve the circle of small blood circulation, resort to a dropper with nitroglycerin.

If there are symptoms of impaired consciousness, then the patient is given a weak neuroleptic.

Along with these methods, oxygen therapy is shown.

If the patient has a persistent foam, then this treatment will not give the desired effect, as it can block the airways. To avoid this, doctors give an inhalation with 70% ethyl alcohol, which is passed through oxygen. The specialists then suck out excess liquid through the catheter.

Causes of pulmonary edema

Hydrostatic edema may occur due to:

1. Dysfunction of the heart.
2. Ingestion of blood vessels, blood clots, fat.
3. Bronchial asthma.
4. Tumors of the lungs.

Membrane pulmonary edema can occur for the following reasons:

1. Renal insufficiency.
2. Trauma of the chest.
3. Exposure to toxic fumes, gases, fumes, mercury vapors, etc.
4. Throwing of gastric contents into the respiratory tract or water.