A lung infarction occurs very rarely. All because the lungs are an organ with very good blood supply. However, in some people, usually those with cardiovascular dysfunction, the risk of a lung infarction increases significantly. What are the causes and symptoms of a pulmonary infarction? What is the treatment?

Pulmonary infarctiondenotes the death of all or part of the lung due to the cessation or significant impaired circulation in the lungs, which is the result of obstruction of the arteries that supply blood - the bronchial arteries and the pulmonary artery (and / or their branches). The cause of this obstruction is embolic material - most often a thrombus. However, it may also be air (e.g. when inserting a catheter into a vein), a fragment of adipose tissue (e.g. after a fracture of a long bone), amniotic fluid (e.g. after premature detachment of the placenta) or a foreign body. Even neoplastic cells can be embolic material.

Lung infarction - causes and risk factors

Pulmonary infarction is most often the result of a pulmonary embolism (pulmonary embolism), usually caused by deep vein thrombosis, most often in the lower extremities. The thrombus breaks away from the vein wall and travels downstream to the right side of the heart and then to the pulmonary artery. However, only 10-15 percent. people with pulmonary embolism develop a pulmonary infarction. This is because the lungs are supplied with blood from two separate arteries, i.e. the blood flows to the lungs from two sides - the bronchial arteries and the pulmonary arteries. If one of these systems fails, the other to some extent compensates for the lack of oxygen supply in the blood. In practice, this means that if the pulmonary artery is blocked, the bronchial arteries increase the blood flow (up to three times) and thus oxygenate the lungs.

Therefore, for a pulmonary infarction to occur, both arterial systems that supply blood to this organ must be partially or completely obstructed. It has been established that the most common cause of pulmonary artery obstruction ispulmonary embolism , while bronchial obstruction is most often caused by atherosclerosis.

In addition, there are risk factors that increase the risk of developing a lung infarction:

  • past incident of venous thrombosis;
  • long-term immobilization - e.g. lying down after surgery;
  • heart disease;
  • blood diseases in the course of which clots occur, e.g. thrombophilia;
  • taking medications that increase blood clotting, e.g. birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy;
  • smoking;
  • fractures - especially long bones or pelvis;
  • coexistence of neoplastic disease;
  • obesity;
  • pregnancy and puerperium;
  • age (the risk is high in older people);

Lung infarction - symptoms

In the event of a lung infarction, the following suddenly appear:

  • dyspnea attack
  • shallow and rapid breathing
  • accelerated heart rate
  • dry cough
  • hemoptysis
  • dull chest pain, usually behind the breastbone
  • bruising of the body
  • strong anxiety

You may even faint.

Pulmonary infarction - diagnosis

If a pulmonary infarction is suspected, blood tests and CT angio-CT (computed tomography with the injection of a contrast agent into the vein) are performed, which shows exactly the pulmonary arteries and the location of the material clogging the vessels. In addition, your doctor may order an electrocardiogram (EKG). Echocardiography (the so-called heart echo) is useful and often used in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary infarction - treatment

Patients with pulmonary embolism are given drugs aimed at restoring the pulmonary vessels (anticoagulants, heparin) and preparations "dissolving" the thrombus (thrombolytic drugs).

If the therapy is ineffective or there are contraindications, it may be necessary to remove the blockage surgically.

Sometimes only the lung is removed.

Lung infarction - how to prevent?

To prevent a lung infarction, you need to eat a proper diet and make time for physical activity. In addition, situations where blood flow is reduced, such as prolonged immobilization, should be avoided. In turn, in people at high risk of pulmonary embolism, in whom pharmacological treatment is contraindicated, a filter can be inserted into the inferior vena cava, "catching" larger embolic materials.

Category:

Cardiology