Fluid on the lungs, also known as pulmonary edema or pleural effusion depending on the location of the fluid, can be caused by a variety of conditions. The main causes include heart-related issues like congestive heart failure, where the heart fails to pump blood efficiently, causing fluid to back up into the lung vessels. Other causes include infections like pneumonia, exposure to toxins, chest trauma, and diseases such as kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, and certain cancers. Additionally, fluid can accumulate due to inflammation or injury to lung blood vessels, as seen in conditions like adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or after severe trauma or high altitude exposure.
Causes of Fluid on the Lungs
- Cardiogenic causes: These involve heart problems such as congestive heart failure, heart attacks, damaged heart valves, cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmias that lead to fluid buildup from blood vessel pressure.
- Non-cardiogenic causes: These include infections (pneumonia), lung injury, inflammation (such as in ARDS), toxin exposure, trauma, and high altitude pulmonary edema.
- Cancer-related: Certain cancers (lung, breast, ovarian, cervical, mesothelioma) can spread to lung tissues or pleura and cause fluid accumulation by inflammation or vessel blockage.
- Other conditions: Kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, systemic diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, and parasitic infections.
Types of Fluid Accumulation
- Pulmonary edema: Fluid inside the air sacs of the lungs, mostly due to heart failure or lung injury.
- Pleural effusion: Fluid between the two membranes (pleura) surrounding the lungs, often caused by cancer, heart failure, or infections.
Understanding the cause is essential for proper treatment and may require diagnostic tests such as X-rays, fluid analysis, and microbiological tests.
