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Lung congestion; Lung water; Pulmonary congestion
Pulmonary edema is most always treated in the emergency room or hospital intensive care unit (ICU).
The cause of the edema should be rapidly identified and treated. For example, if a heart attack has caused the condition, it must be treated.
Medications that may be prescribed include:
Outlook depends on the cause. The condition may resolve quickly or slowly. Some patients may need to use a breathing machine for a long time. If not treated, this condition can be deadly.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have breathing problems.
O'Brien JF, Falk JL. Heart failure. In: Marx JA, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 79.
Matthay MA, Martin TR. Pulmonary edema and acute lung injury. In: Mason RJ, Broaddus VC, Martin TR, et al. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 55.
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