if a respiratory disorder causes lungs to fill with fluid how might this affect the persons health?
December 16th, 2009 | by admin |i need it asap
well, you said "fill" with fluid. If this were the case, it would stop all gas (oxygen and CO2) exchange with the blood stream. This is what happens when someone drowns.
Most of the gas exchange takes place in the base of the lungs. So even a partial filling of the lungs with fluid can be lift threatening. Diseases like congestive heart failure (CHF) can cause this. Treatment for fluid in the lungs due to CHF and other disease like that are diuretic drugs to induce a void of fluid in the body and supplemental oxygen to help with gas exchange. There are some drugs that can help the heart beat better so it can stop backing up into the lungs.
I have no idea if CHF is the problem you are referring to or not. It is what I see most in the ER with fluid in the lungs. Consider that other diseases can cause fluid in the lungs. Also people confuse fluid IN the lungs with fluid ON the lungs. This is a totally different disease process and is treated differently sometimes.
Good luck with what ever you are dealing with.
2 Responses to “if a respiratory disorder causes lungs to fill with fluid how might this affect the persons health?”
By gmillioni on Dec 16, 2009 | Reply
depending on the amount of fluids. small amounts are generally absorbed by the body and cause little interference with daily activities. when the fluids are in enough quantity to interfere with gas exchange and airway clearance then the symptoms can be drastic. between small and "a lot" is that area where one may cough, feel weak, have chest vibrations during breathing, experience low oxygenation, and/or increases in carbon dioxide. fluids accumulate for various reasons not to cover here, but three common fluid problems can be from: pneumonia, kidney failure, and/or congestive heart failure. these can be treated quite successfully.
References :
military medical background, registered respiratory therapist.
By Matt A on Dec 16, 2009 | Reply
well, you said "fill" with fluid. If this were the case, it would stop all gas (oxygen and CO2) exchange with the blood stream. This is what happens when someone drowns.
Most of the gas exchange takes place in the base of the lungs. So even a partial filling of the lungs with fluid can be lift threatening. Diseases like congestive heart failure (CHF) can cause this. Treatment for fluid in the lungs due to CHF and other disease like that are diuretic drugs to induce a void of fluid in the body and supplemental oxygen to help with gas exchange. There are some drugs that can help the heart beat better so it can stop backing up into the lungs.
I have no idea if CHF is the problem you are referring to or not. It is what I see most in the ER with fluid in the lungs. Consider that other diseases can cause fluid in the lungs. Also people confuse fluid IN the lungs with fluid ON the lungs. This is a totally different disease process and is treated differently sometimes.
Good luck with what ever you are dealing with.
References :