Cardiac Diseases

- Nursing Care Policy for Pulmonary Edema Patients

	Policy no.	Managing Patients with Angina	Policy name
No. of pages		Review Date:	Issue Date and Number:
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Definition:

Pulmonary edema is lung congestion resulting from an increased amount of blood in the blood vessels within the respiratory system, which leads to significant difficulty in breathing.

This edema commonly occurs due to left-sided heart failure, which causes difficulty in the return of blood from the respiratory system to the heart, leading to blood accumulation in the lungs. This accumulation results in pulmonary edema, which can eventually lead to the patient’s life being endangered due to suffocation.

Symptoms:

1- Severe difficulty breathing, especially in the horizontal position.

2- Pallor in the face.

3- Increased heart rate.
4- Large amounts of sputum mixed with blood.
5- Cyanosis (bluish tint to skin and lips).

The primary goal of our care for this patient is to help the patient receive the necessary amount of oxygen they require.

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The Role of Nursing Staff Towards the Patient:

1- Position the patient at a 90-degree or 45-degree angle or have them sit on a chair, as this position facilitates easier breathing for the patient.

2- Provide the patient with 8 liters of humidified oxygen.
3- Administer Digoxin to the patient.
4- Administer a diuretic such as Lasix (40 to 120 mg) intravenously and slowly.
5- Administer Aminophylline (250 to 500 mg) to open the airways.
6- Sometimes, the patient may require a mechanical ventilator to save their life.