Noncardiac pulmonary edema.

Several mechanisms leading to noncardiac pulmonary edema have been reviewed. Common features are damage to and increased permeability of vascular endothelium, interstitial and alveolar edema fluid high in protein content, increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pressure, nondependent distribution of the edema and normal left atrial or wedge pressure. The available evidence suggests that in some instances the sites of leakage are the pulmonary arterial walls and, perhaps in some, overperfused, damaged capillary beds. Therapeutic obestives differ from those in cardiac pulmonary edema in that efforts are directed toward a reduction in pulmonary blood flow and pulmonary arterial pressure during the period that endothelial healing is taking place.