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Pulmonary Vascular Congestion
Etiology

Generally associated with left-sided heart failure
Etiology of heart failure includes myocardial damage associated with valvular, coronary arterial, or intrinsic myocardial injury
Other causes include blood loss andperipheral vasodilatation (shock)
Pathogenesis

Increased left atrial pressure leads to increased pulmonary venous pressure and then to increased pulmonary capillary pressure with congestion and ultimately transudation into the alveolar space(edema),
Epidemiology

Ischemic cardiac disease is leading cause of death in U.S.
Variety of disease processes result in left sided failure.
General Gross Description

Heavy wet lungs
Deep red
Ooze bloody fluid on sectioning
When chronic, rusty discoloration may occur
•Examples:
Pulmonary Congestion (External View) Congestion of Lung
General Microscopic Description

Dilated blood vessels containing abundant RBC's
Scattered RBC's may be found in the alveoli due to diapedesis which lead to
Hemosiderin-laden macrophages (heart failure cells) appearing within a few days
Protein-rich edema fluid may also be present
•Examples:
Alveolar Macrophage with Hemosiderin Deposition (40X)
Clinical Correlation

Dyspnea first on exertion, then lying down (orthopnea) and then at rest
References

Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th edition. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 521-522.

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Pulmonary Vascular Congestion
Synopsis by: Melinda Sanders M.D. (T28000M36142)[114]
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