Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Ali A Sovari, MD, FACP; Chief Editor: Henry H Ooi, MBBCh   more...
 
Updated: Feb 3, 2012
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) should be differentiated from pulmonary edema associated with injury to the alveolar-capillary membrane, caused by diverse etiologies. Damage to the alveolar-capillary barrier can be seen in various direct lung injuries (from pneumonia, aspiration pneumonitis, toxin inhalation, pulmonary contusion, radiation, drowning, or fat emboli) and indirect lung injuries (from sepsis, shock and multiple transfusions, acute pancreatitis, or anaphylactic shock).

Several conditions related to noncardiogenic pulmonary edema (NCPE) primarily affect Starling forces rather than the alveolar-capillary barrier. These conditions include decreased oncotic pressure of the plasma due to various etiologies and increased negativity of interstitial pressure due to rapid removal of pneumothorax. Lymphatic insufficiency (eg, from lymphangitic carcinomatosis, fibrosing lymphangitis, or lung transplantation) is another important etiologic mechanism of NCPE.

Several features may differentiate CPE from NCPE. In CPE, a history of an acute cardiac event is usually present. Physical examination shows a low-flow state, an S3 gallop, jugular venous distention, and crackles on auscultation. Patients with NCPE have a warm periphery, a bounding pulse, and no S3 gallop or jugular venous distention. Definite differentiation is based on pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) measurements. The PCWP is generally >18 mm Hg in CPE and < 18 mm Hg in NCPE, but superimposition of chronic pulmonary vascular disease can make this distinction difficult to assess.

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of CPE include the following:

  • Myocardial ischemia
  • Pneumothorax
  • High-altitude pulmonary edema
  • Neurogenic pulmonary edema
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Respiratory failure

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Ali A Sovari, MD, FACP  Clinical and Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Staff Physician and Hospitalist, St John Regional Medical Center, Cogent Healthcare, Inc

Ali A Sovari, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, American Physiological Society, and Heart Rhythm Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Abraham G Kocheril, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS  Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine

Abraham G Kocheril, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, Central Society for Clinical Research, Heart Failure Society of America, and Illinois State Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Arnold S Baas, MD, FACC, FACP  Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine; Attending Physician, UCLA Santa Monica Hospital and UCLA Westwood Hospital

Arnold S Baas, MD, FACC, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, and American Society of Echocardiography

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Henry H Ooi, MBBCh  Director, Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program, Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Amal Mattu, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency, Co-Director, Emergency Medicine/Internal Medicine Combined Residency Program, Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Amal Mattu, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Ari M Perkins, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Greenwich Hospital

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba; Site Director, Respiratory Medicine, St Boniface General Hospital

Sat Sharma, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Thoracic Society, Canadian Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal Society of Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and World Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

George A Stouffer III, MD Henry A Foscue Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cardiology, Director of Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Chief of Clinical Cardiology, Division of Cardiology, University of North Carolina Medical Center

George A Stouffer III, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

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