10 Causes of Fluid In The Lungs
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Cause #2: Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a cardiovascular disease characterized by the inefficient pumping of the heart. Fluid in the lungs due to CHF can be caused by a myocardial infarction (heart attack), hypertension (high blood pressure), or narrowed heart valves. When blood cannot flow through the body properly, it may return to the pulmonary veins which take blood through the lungs. The high pressure of the blood vessels causes the fluid to go to the alveoli.
What happens then is shortness of breath, wheezing, and edema in other parts of the body. In patients with CHF, accumulation of the fluid in the lungs should be closely monitored as this could cause further strain on the heart.
Advertisement
