What is it?

Pulmonary congestion (also called pulmonary edema) is a buildup of fluids in the lungs. In order to maintain a proper gas exchange (the passage of oxygen from the lungs to the blood), the lung tissue that surrounds the alveoli (the small sacs to which the inhaled air reaches) must be extremely thin. In pulmonary congestion, the fluid that accumulates in the lung tissue makes it too thick, therefore effective breathing gets impaired. Cardiac dysfunction is the most common cause of pulmonary edema (a condition called cardiogenic pulmonary edema). Cardiac dysfunction can result from heart muscle damage, valvular disorder or vascular disorder. Causes that are not due to cardiac dysfunction (non- cardiogenic pulmonary edema) are pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension or respiratory failure for various reasons. Acute pulmonary congestion can be life-threatening and necessitate prompt medical treatment.