Pulmonary edema is best defined as which of the following?

• A. Irregular heartbeat.
• B. Swelling in the lungs.
• C. Blockage of the coronary arteries.
• D. Decreased blood pressure.

Answer: (B)

Pulmonary edema is fluid buildup in the lungs, particularly in the interstitial spaces and alveoli, which causes the lungs to swell and impairs oxygen exchange. That makes swelling in the lungs the correct definition. It often results from the left side of the heart failing to efficiently move blood forward, raising pressures in the pulmonary capillaries and pushing fluid into the lung tissue; it can also occur from inflammatory or toxic injury that increases capillary permeability. Clinically, patients may have shortness of breath, especially when lying flat, crackles on exam, and low oxygen levels. The other descriptions describe different problems—an irregular heartbeat is a rhythm disturbance, blockage of the coronary arteries is ischemia or infarction, and decreased blood pressure is hypotension—not the edema itself.