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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffDepending on the cause, pulmonary edema symptoms may appear suddenly or develop slowly.
Sudden (acute) pulmonary edema symptoms
- Extreme shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (dyspnea) that worsens when lying down
- A feeling of suffocating or drowning
- Wheezing or gasping for breath
- Anxiety, restlessness or a sense of apprehension
- A cough that produces frothy sputum that may be tinged with blood
- Excessive sweating
- Pale skin
- Chest pain, if pulmonary edema is caused by heart disease
- A rapid, irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
If you develop any of these signs or symptoms, call 911 or emergency medical assistance right away. Pulmonary edema can be fatal if not treated.
Long-term (chronic) pulmonary edema symptoms
- Having more shortness of breath than normal when you're physically active.
- Difficulty breathing with exertion, often when you're lying flat as opposed to sitting up.
- Wheezing.
- Awakening at night with a breathless feeling that may be relieved by sitting up.
- Rapid weight gain when pulmonary edema develops as a result of congestive heart failure, a condition in which your heart pumps too little blood to meet your body's needs. The weight gain is from buildup of fluid in your body, especially in your legs.
- Swelling in your legs and ankles.
- Loss of appetite.
- Fatigue.
High-altitude pulmonary edema symptoms
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Fluid retention
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
When to see a doctor
Pulmonary edema that comes on suddenly (acute) is life-threatening. Get emergency assistance if you have any of the following acute signs and symptoms:
- Trouble breathing or a feeling of suffocating (dyspnea)
- A bubbly, wheezing or gasping sound when you breathe
- Pink, frothy sputum when you cough
- Breathing difficulty along with profuse sweating
- A blue or gray tone to your skin
- A severe drop in blood pressure resulting in lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness or sweating
- A sudden worsening of any of the symptoms associated with chronic pulmonary edema or high-altitude pulmonary edema
Don't attempt to drive yourself to the hospital. Instead, call 911 or emergency medical care and wait for help.
References
- O'Brien JF, et al. Pathophysiology of pulmonary edema. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..X0001-1--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&uniqId=230100505-57 Accessed April 12, 2011.
- Givertz MM. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
- Gallagher SA, et al. High altitude pulmonary edema. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
- Heart failure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hf/HF_All.html. Accessed April 7, 2011.
- Cardiomyopathy. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cm/cm_all.html. Accessed April 7, 2011.
- ARDS. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Ards/Ards_All.html. Accessed April 7, 2011.
- High blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_All.html. Accessed April 7, 2011.
- Maggiorini M. Prevention and treatment of high-altitude pulmonary edema. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2010;52:500.
- Scherrer U, et al. New insights in the pathogenesis of high-altitude pulmonary edema. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2010;52:485.
- How the heart works. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hhw/hhw_all.html. Accessed April 7, 2011.
- Lung function tests. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/lft/lft_all.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
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