Many drugs - ranging from aspirin to illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine - are known to cause pulmonary edema. Many conditions can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), including severe injury (trauma), widespread infection (sepsis), pneumonia and severe bleeding. This serious disorder occurs when the lungs suddenly fill with fluid.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Pulmonary edema that is not caused by increased pressures in the heart is called noncardiogenic pulmonary edema.Ĭauses of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema include: Non-heart-related (noncardiogenic) pulmonary edema Thyroid disease and a buildup of iron (hemochromatosis) or protein (amyloidosis) also may contribute to heart failure and cause pulmonary edema. High blood pressure due to narrowed kidney arteries (renal artery stenosis) or fluid buildup due to kidney disease can cause pulmonary edema.

Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), heart problems present at birth (congenital heart defects) and irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) also may cause pulmonary edema. Untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure can enlarge the heart. A valve leak that develops suddenly might cause sudden and severe pulmonary edema. Narrowing (stenosis) of the aortic or mitral heart valves or a valve that leaks or doesn't close properly affects blood flow into the heart. When the left ventricle can't keep up with the demands that are placed on it, fluid backs up into the lungs. Then the heart might not be able to work harder when needed, such as during exercise or with an infection or a rise in blood pressure. With cardiomyopathy, the heart must pump harder, and pressures rise. A damaged heart muscle can no longer pump as well as it should. The clot blocks blood flow and damages part of the heart muscle, resulting in a heart attack. Sometimes, a blood clot forms in one of these narrowed arteries. A slow narrowing of the coronary arteries can weaken the left ventricle. Over time, the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle can become narrow from fatty deposits (plaques).

Medical conditions that can cause heart failure and lead to pulmonary edema include:Ĭoronary artery disease. The increased pressure pushes fluid through the blood vessel walls into the air sacs. When a diseased or overworked left lower heart chamber (left ventricle) can't pump out enough of the blood it gets from the lungs, pressures in the heart go up. Heart-related (cardiogenic) pulmonary edemaĬardiogenic pulmonary edema is caused by increased pressures in the heart.

What does fluid in lungs sound like