Does Pneumonia Cause Fluid Around The Heart

Flu Signs And Symptoms

There are differences between the cold and the flu. With the flu the symptoms are:

• Abrupt onset
• The flu last 3-4 days
• The body aches are severe
• Chills, fatigue, and weakness are common
• Sneezing and stuffy nose occurs sometimes with the flu, but it occurs frequently with the cold
• A headache and chest discomfort is common in the flu

What Does It Mean To Have Fluid In The Lungs From Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It can have many complications. One of the complications of pneumonia is presence of fluids in the chest. Medically, it is called para-pneumonic effusion, which is a type of pleural effusion.

Dont worry, I will explain in details what that means. I will also tell you where and how the fluid buildup occurs.

Your lungs are covered by a double layered lining. There is a small amount of fluid in-between the two linings. This layer of fluid acts as a lubricant and helps make lung movement smooth.

With pneumonia, sometimes the infection and inflammation may spread out from the lungs to reach the inner lining. The infection may then involve the layer of lubricating fluid. To fight the infection, your body tries to send more white blood cells in the area where the lubricating fluid lives. To do that, they widen the gap in the small arteries that supply blood to the area. More white blood cells rush to the area and take extra fluids with them. Eventually, fluid buildup begins in the lungs.

As you can see, fluids in the lungs from pneumonia builds up in-between the two layers. This area is medically called pleural space, and thats why this type of fluid buildup is called pleural effusion. When pleural effusion is caused by pneumonia, it is called para-pneumonic effusion.

How To Get Rid Of Fluids In The Lungs From Pneumonia

Except in cases of small amounts of fluids in the lungs, it is important to get that fluid drained. To be more specific, if the layer of fluids in the lungs is higher than 10mm with the patient lying down, it needs to be drained. The longer the fluids stay in your chest, the higher the chances of complications.

If there are only a moderate amount of fluids, and the fluids are flowing freely, they can be simply drained with a small needle. These days, it is customary to use an ultrasound or CT scan to visualize the path of the needle to make sure it is going to the right spot. With continued antibiotics, a one-time drainage may be enough for a small, uncomplicated fluid buildup from pneumonia.

After getting the fluids drained, they are sent to the lab for a chemical analysis and a culture. The results will help guide further treatment.

For more thicker fluids with pockets of pus, more invasive surgical options may need to be considered. A procedure called thoracoscopy is usually performed first. They use a flexible scope with a camera to look into the pleural space. This is space where the fluid in the lungs builds up. They insert the tube through a small cut in-between the ribs. Once it is in place, they can suck the fluid out. They can also cut and break down fibers to open up pockets of trapped fluids and drain those as well.

References:

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What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumonia

Pneumonia symptoms can vary from so mild you barely notice them, to so severe that hospitalization is required. How your body responds to pneumonia depends on the type germ causing the infection, your age and your overall health.

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

• Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus
• Fever, sweating and shaking chills
• Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
• Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children
• Confusion, especially in older people

How Serious Is Fluid On The Lungs In Elderly

Its fairly common for seniors to suffer from fluid in the lungs , but getting a good prognosis depends on understanding the underlying cause. Most cases are the result of heart problems, which is why acute pulmonary edema has a one-year mortality rate of about 40% for elderly patients.

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The Flu And Heart Attack

The flu does not directly cause a heart attack. However, the flu causes severe inflammation in the body. When there is inflammation in the body, plaque in the arteries tends to break off. These plaque fragments block the main vessels of the heart and cause heart attacks.

The flu does not cause heart failure however, it can exacerbate existing congestive heart failure. There are cases where heart failure is caused by viruses, but that is rare.

Congestive Heart Failure Can Be Mistaken For Pneumonia

DEAR DR. DONOHUE At first, doctors thought I had pneumonia. Then they decided I had congestive heart failure. How can such a mistake be made? I am now taking all sorts of medicines. Before, I wasn’t taking any. Will I ever get off them? I am 79.

— N.N.

Pneumonia and congestive heart failure have two things in common Both fill the lungs with fluid, and both make a person short of breath. With pneumonia, the fluid in the lungs is filled with white blood cells trying to fight off the infection. With congestive heart failure, the fluid in the lungs is fluid that has leaked from the circulation due to a backup of blood in lung blood vessels. The two can be mistaken, but the error is usually quickly corrected.

Congestive heart failure results when the heart is no longer a good pump. Its muscle has become so feeble that it can’t empty all the blood in it. Pressure inside lung blood vessels rises and forces fluid into the lungs’ air sacs. Air can’t get into or out of the lungs. Slight effort makes a person pant for air. Lying down often precipitates an attack of breathlessness. When heart failure becomes more severe, people waken from sleep gasping for breath.

Causes of heart failure are many. A heart attack can weaken heart muscle and its ability to pump. Deformed heart valves are another cause. Uncontrolled blood pressure can bring on heart failure.

before I die? I am 58.

— J.F.

— C.N.

Most vitamins are digested and absorbed.

Many major brands of vitamins &

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Prognosis Of Patients With Pre

A paper in the Journal of General Internal Medicine states: Thirty-day mortality from pneumonia was 24.4% among heart failure patients vs. 14.4% among other pneumonia patients.

The paper adds, We identified 33,736 patients with a first-time hospitalization for pneumonia, of whom 3,210 had a previous diagnosis of heart failure. The median age was 73 years

In addition: We were able to adjust for a wide range of prognostic factors assumed to be important for pneumonia, including cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, liver cirrhosis, and renal disease.

The paper also says that Our data indicated that pneumonia mortality increased with preadmission heart failure severity. treatment

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. Shes also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.

What Are Symptoms Of A Pleural Effusion

A pleural effusion can cause uncomfortable side effects. You may experience the following symptoms:

• Inability to exercise

• Generally feeling unwell

Tell your health care team if you experience any of the above symptoms. Relieving side effects is an important part of cancer care and treatment. This is called palliative care or supportive care. It can help people with any stage of cancer feel better.

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How Is Bacterial Pericarditis Diagnosed

Your doctor will perform a physical exam to see if you have the symptoms of bacterial pericarditis. Theyll use a stethoscope to listen for sounds in your chest. If you have bacterial pericarditis, theyll be able to detect pericardial rub, which is a sound that occurs when the layers of the infected pericardium rub together.

Your doctor may also check to see if you have:

• , which is a severe and potentially life-threatening infection that can spread throughout your body
• pericardial effusion, or fluid buildup in your pericardium
• pleural effusion, or fluid buildup in the area around your lungs
• pneumonia

Pericardial Effusion: Causes Symptoms And Treatment

August 9, 2015 by Dr. Mustafa Ahmed

The heart has a sac around it called the pericardium. The purpose of this sac is to protect the heart from the structures that surround it. Inside the sac there is normally a small amount of fluid evenly spread in a thin layer around the whole heart. This fluid around the heart is known as pericardial fluid and basically acts as a lubricant to allow the heart to pump and turn with minimal friction. Ill use the terms fluid around the heart and pericardial effusion interchangeably throughout this article so you become familiar with the terms.

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What Causes Fluid Around The Heart

As mentioned, there are a variety of causes of pericardial effusion that range in severity. In some cases, when a cause cannot be determined, it is known as idiopathic pericarditis.

Causes of fluid around the heart include:

• Inflammation of the pericardium as a result of heart surgery or heart attack
• Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
• Spread of cancer, in particular, lung cancer, breast cancer, or melanoma
• Cancer of the pericardium
• Radiation therapy used to treat cancer
• Waste product in the blood as a result of kidney failure
• Viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections
• Trauma to the chest or heart
• Certain prescription drugs such as medications to treat high blood pressure, epileptic seizures, or tuberculosis drugs

Bacteremia And Septic Shock

If bacteria caused your pneumonia, they could get into your blood, especially if you didn’t see a doctor for treatment. It’s a problem called bacteremia.

Bacteremia can lead to a serious situation known as . It’s a reaction to the infection in your blood, and it can cause your blood pressure to drop to a dangerous level.

When your blood pressure is too low, your heart may not be able to pump enough blood to your organs, and they can stop working. Get medical help right away if you notice symptoms like:

• Fatigue

Your doctor can test your mucus or the pus in your lungs to look for infection. They may also take an X-ray or a CT scan of your lungs.

Your doctor will likely treat your lung abscesses with antibiotics. They may do a procedure that uses a needle to remove the pus.

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How Is Pneumonia Treated

The following image-guided treatments may be used for pneumonia:

• Thoracentesis: Fluid may be taken from your chest cavity and studied to help your doctor determine which germ is causing your illness. X-ray, CT and/or ultrasound may be used during thoracentesis. The fluid removed during this procedure may also help provide symptom relief.
• Chest tube placement: During this procedure, also known as thoracostomy, a thin plastic tube is inserted into the pleural space (the area between the chest wall and lungs. The tube can help remove excess fluid or air. The procedure is performed under the guidance of CT or ultrasound.
• Image-guided abscess drainage: Image-guidance helps direct placement of a needle into the abscess cavity and can aid during insertion of a drainage tube. If an abscess has formed in the lungs, it may be drained by inserting a small drainage tube . Image guidance, including fluoroscopy, x-ray, ultrasound or CT, is used.

Each of these tests will help your doctor further evaluate your lungs and lung function or help determine the type of germ causing your pneumonia.

How Is Fluid Around The Lung Treated

The best way is to treat the cause of the effusion. If the cause is pneumonia, a doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection, which may also cause the fluid to go away. If fluid build-up has been caused by congestive heart failure, a physician will likely prescribe diuretics, such as Lasix, for treatment.

For large pleural effusions, or for those with an unknown cause, the fluid will need to be drained through a procedure called thoracentesis. This involves inserting a needle in the space between the lung and the chest wall and draining the liquid. In these cases, a doctor may also send a sample of fluid to be tested for other causes, such as lung cancer, for example. Some patients may require a pleural drain that is inserted through the skin so that the buildup of fluid can be drained repeatedly without the need for repeated thoracentesis.

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How Is Fluid Around The Lung Diagnosed

A physician will usually diagnosis pleural effusion based on interviewing the patient about symptoms and a physical examination. To confirm a diagnosis, he or she may also request an imaging test, which could be a chest X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography scan. To further help with diagnosis, a doctor may extract a sample of the excess fluid to be tested to determine the cause.

What Are The Signs Of Dying From Congestive Heart Failure

The main physical symptoms of heart failure at the end of life include: Fatigue. Fatigue is extreme tiredness that isnt necessarily caused by exertion or relieved by rest. Breathlessness . Breathlessness is a very common symptom of heart failure and it can be very limiting and distressing. Peripheral oedema.

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Recovery Time For Pericardial Effusion Treatment

The time that someone must stay in the hospital after these procedures is highly variable, Dr. Jobe says, and it depends on what other treatment they might need.

For example, a patient treated with pericardiocentesis might stay in the hospital for just one or two days if he or she has no other conditions that require inpatient treatment. A patient treated with pericardial window will probably need to stay in the hospital for at least a few days, while a patient treated with pericardiectomy or pericardial stripping will probably be hospitalized for five to seven days.

But if a patient treated with one of these methods also has cancer, for example, then the hospital stay is likely to be longer and determined by the cancer treatment regimen, Dr. Jobe says.

Do you or a loved one need care for a heart problem? Find a cardiologist near you.

Symptoms Of Fluid Around Heart And Lungs

Small amount of accumulation of fluid may remain asymptomatic however accumulation of large amount can produce range of symptoms:

Symptoms of fluid buildup around heart:

• Difficulty in breathing.
• Pain in chest, mainly in the middle of chest.
• Fever.
• Increased heart rate and pulse.
• Breathing difficulty while lying down.
• Dry cough.
• Pain is better while sitting and aggravate when lying down.

Symptoms of fluid collection around the lungs:

• Pain in chest, especially on the affected side of lungs. If fluid is collected in right side, patient experiences pain on his right side of chest. Similarly it can occur in the left side of chest.
• Difficulty while breathing.
• Pain in chest while inhaling.
• Shortness of breath.
• Loss of appetite.
• Dry cough.

Since pleural effusion or pericardial effusion is caused due to underlying disease or condition, many other symptoms of the condition are also present.

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Diagnostic Tests And Procedures

If your doctor thinks you have pneumonia, he or she may do one or more of the following tests.

• Chest X-ray to look for inflammation in your lungs. A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose pneumonia.
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count to see whether your immune system is fighting an infection.
• Pulse oximetry to measure how much oxygen is in your blood. Pneumonia can keep your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your blood. To measure the levels, a small sensor called a pulse oximeter is attached to your finger or ear.

If you are in the hospital, have serious symptoms, are older, or have other health problems, your doctor may do other tests to diagnose pneumonia.

Treatment For Pericardial Effusion

As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Jobe performs a nonsurgical, catheter-based procedure called pericardiocentesis to treat pericardial effusion. During pericardiocentesis, a doctor threads a catheter into the sac surrounding the heart to drain built-up fluid and relieve symptoms. Medical professionals then test the fluid for signs of infection, cancer or other problems.

Not all patients can be treated successfully with pericardiocentesis. Some may require a surgical procedure called pericardial window. In this procedure, a heart surgeon cuts away a small piece of the pericardium. This causes the fluid to drain and prevents fluid from building back up.

In the most difficult cases, a larger part or sometimes all of the pericardium might need to be removed. This is called a pericardiectomy or pericardial stripping operation, and it is typically done only after less invasive procedures are unsuccessful.

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Take Steps To Protect Yourself And Others

The following steps can help you prevent spreading the infection to others around you.

• Cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing.
• Get rid of used tissues right away.
• Limit contact with family and friends.
• Wash your hands often, especially after coughing and sneezing.

Some people get pneumonia again and again. Tell your doctor if this happens. Return to Prevention to find more strategies to help prevent pneumonia.