What Is Pulmonary Edema?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
The walls of our lungs are very important in that they allow oxygen to pass through so it can be absorbed into our blood. This process is achieved through tiny sacs within the lungs called alveoli. Alveoli are clustered together in such a way to maximize the surface area for the most efficient exchange of gases within the blood.
Pulmonary edema is a condition where the alveoli begin to fill with fluids. This means that they cannot fill with air as the patient breathes, and this means that the body cannot absorb oxygen. It can be a very serious condition depending on the severity, and the patient should be found help as soon as a problem is noticed.
