Accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in a body cavity. See FLUID RETENTION SYNDROME.
Abnormal fluid accumulation in body tissues that may be localized (as in swelling from an injury) or generalized (as in heart failure). Symptoms of generalized oedema, such as swelling around the base of the spine and in the ankles, occur when excess body fluid increases by more than 15 per cent. In
severe cases, fluid accumulates in large body cavities, such as the peritoneal cavity of the abdomen in ascites or the pleural cavity of the lungs in pleural effusion. In pulmonary oedema, the air sacs of the lungs become waterlogged.Causes include heart failure, kidney failure, and nephrotic syndrome. Often, the underlying cause of oedema cannot be treated. Treatment is focused on increasing urine output by restricting salt intake and using diuretic drugs.
An abnormal accumulation of ?uid beneath the skin, or in one or more of the cavities of the body.
Causes Oedema is not a disease, it is a sign – usually of underlying local or systemic disease. It may sometimes be visible as a swelling. Oedema occurs when the normal mechanisms for maintaining a balance between ?uid in the tissues and in the blood are upset. That balance depends mainly on the blood pressure that keeps the blood ?owing through the circulatory system – thus forcing ?uid out of the capillaries
– and the osmotic drawing force of the blood proteins which pulls water into the bloodstream. The KIDNEYS also have an essential role in maintaining this balance.
Among the disorders that may disturb this balance are heart failure, NEPHROTIC SYNDROME, kidney failure, CIRRHOSIS of the liver and a diet de?cient in protein. Injury may also cause oedema and ascites (?uid in the abdominal cavity) can occur as a result of cirrhosis of the liver or cancer in the abdominal organs.
Treatment The underlying cause of oedema should be treated and, if this is not feasible or e?ective, the excess ?uid should be excreted by boosting the output of the kidney. Restriction of sodium in the diet and the administration of DIURETICS are e?ective methods of achieving this.
n. excessive accumulation of fluid in the body tissues: historically known as dropsy. The resultant swelling may be local, as with an injury or inflammation, or more general, as in heart or kidney failure. In generalized oedema there may be collections of fluid within the chest cavity (pleural effusions), abdomen (see ascites), or within the air spaces of the lung (pulmonary oedema). It may result from heart or kidney failure, cirrhosis of the liver, acute nephritis, the nephrotic syndrome, starvation, allergy, or drugs (e.g. cortisone steroids). In such cases the kidneys can usually be stimulated to get rid of the excess fluid by the administration of *diuretic drugs. Subcutaneous oedema commonly occurs in the legs and ankles due to the influence of gravity and (in women) before menstruation; the swelling subsides with rest and elevation of the legs. —oedematous adj.
a painless swelling caused by fluid retention beneath the skin’s surface.
This is a syndrome in women, characterised by irregular intermittent bouts of generalised swelling. Sometimes the ?uid retention is more pronounced before the menstrual period (see MENSTRUATION). The eyelids are pu?y and the face and ?ngers feel sti? and bloated. The breasts may feel swollen and the abdomen distended, and ankles may swell. The diurnal weight gain may exceed 4 kg. The underlying disturbance is due to increased loss of ?uid from the vascular compartment, probably from leakage of protein from the capillaries increasing the tissue osmotic pressure. Recent evidence suggests that a decrease in the urinary excretion of DOPAMINE may contribute, as this has a natriuretic action (see NATRIURESIS). This may explain why drugs that are dopamine antagonists, such as chlorpromazine, may precipitate or aggravate cyclical oedema. Conversely, bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, may improve the oedema.... cyclical oedema
This occurs as a result of left ventricular failure (see HEART, DISEASES OF). There is an abrupt increase in the venous and capillary pressure in the pulmonary vessels, followed by ?ooding of ?uid into the interstitial spaces and alveoli. The commonest cause of acute pulmonary oedema is myocardial infarction (see HEART, DISEASES OF) which reduces the ability of the left ventricular myocardial muscle to handle the blood delivered to it. Pulmonary oedema may result from other causes of left ventricular failure such as HYPERTENSION or valvular disease of the mitral and aortic valves. The initial symptoms are cough with breathlessness and occasionally with wheezing (once called ‘cardiac asthma’). The patient becomes extremely short of breath and in a severe attack the patient is pale, sweating and cyanosed and obviously gasping for breath. Frequently, frothy sputum is produced which may be blood-stained. Treatment is with DIURETICS and measures to deal with the myocardial infarction or other underlying cause.... oedema of the lungs
swelling of the vocal folds of the larynx due to a build-up of fluid in Reinke’s space, between the internal fibromuscular layer of the vocal fold and its overlying mucosa. It is caused by smoking, vocal overuse, *gastro-oesophageal reflux, or thyroid disease. [F. B. Reinke (1862–1919), German anatomist]... reinke’s oedema
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