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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffEdema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body's tissues. Although edema can affect any part of your body, it's most commonly noticed in your hands, arms, feet, ankles and legs.
Edema can be the result of medication, pregnancy or an underlying disease — often heart failure, kidney disease or cirrhosis of the liver.
Taking medication to remove excess fluid and reducing the amount of salt in your food usually relieves edema. When edema is a sign of an underlying disease, the disease itself requires separate treatment.
- Clein LJ. Edema. In: Walsh D, et al. Palliative Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05674-8..50164-X&isbn=978-0-323-05674-8&sid=1193001782&uniqId=273791682-8#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05674-8..50164-X. Accessed Aug. 17, 2011.
- Rose BD. General principles of the treatment of edema in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2011.
- Braunwald E, et al. Edema. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=4. Accessed Aug. 17, 2011.
- Rose BD. Pathophysiology and etiology of edema in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2011.
- Rose BD. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of edema in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2011.
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