How to live after a pulmonary infarction. Pulmonary infarction: causes, treatment and consequences

Every person should take care of their health. And this concern is expressed not in self-torture with diets and physical activity, but in an annual medical examination. Often, many serious diseases are asymptomatic and are discovered accidentally during a medical examination. For example, a pulmonary infarction may have no symptoms. However, this condition is dangerous due to its consequences. What is a pulmonary infarction, what manifestations should cause alertness and force a person to immediately consult a doctor?

Description of the disease

There are many reasons for the development of this disease. But regardless of the factors, a heart attack develops due to blood clots, which, once in the vessels of the lungs, obstruct blood flow. The symptoms of this disease are similar to myocardial infarction. However, it is developing much more rapidly. Within 24 hours, the section of the lung supplied by the artery blocked by the thrombus completely loses its function, causing pulmonary failure.

In rare cases, patients experience central nervous system disorders in the form of seizures, fainting and coma. If a person has impaired liver function, jaundice may occur. Dyspeptic symptoms may also appear. These include:

nausea;
vomit;
stomach ache;
hiccups

If the pulmonary artery is affected by an infected blood clot, pulmonary candidiasis, bacterial pneumonia, abscess and gangrene may develop.

When small vessels are affected, a person may not have any signs of the disease at all. A pulmonary infarction can only be detected during an X-ray examination.

Methods of diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease are the responsibility of two specialists: a pulmonologist and a cardiologist. But before starting to directly assist the patient, specialists will have to find out what exactly caused the development of a pulmonary infarction.

The principle of diagnosis is to conduct an examination of the patient, as well as laboratory tests of blood and urine, which allow a preliminary diagnosis to be made. Hardware diagnostic methods help confirm it. These include:

X-ray examination;
Ultrasound of the veins of the lower extremities;
radioisotropic lung scan;
angiopulmonography.

X-ray examination reveals a wedge-shaped shadow, which is most often located on the right side. The area affected by the thrombus has the shape of a pyramid, the apex of which faces the root of the lung, and its base faces the periphery.

Pulmonary infarction should be treated as early as possible. In this case, it begins with the elimination of pain with the help of analgesics: both narcotic and non-narcotic.

Next, the patient is given medications to prevent further thrombus formation and dissolve existing blood clots. If conservative treatment is ineffective, the patient undergoes surgery, during which a vena cava filter is installed in the inferior vena cava system.

Prognosis for life and prevention of disease

This disease is not fatal. Sudden death from pulmonary infarction occurs in exceptional cases. Proper treatment eliminates all manifestations of the disease, which allows the patient to lead a normal lifestyle.

A threat to life arises in the case of severe heart disease, relapses and complications developing after a heart attack.

A list of preventive measures to prevent the development of a dangerous disease is compiled taking into account the causes that cause it. These include:

timely treatment of varicose veins and thrombophlebitis;
daily physical therapy exercises;
performing special gymnastics after surgical interventions;
wearing compression garments for varicose veins of the legs.

The lungs need a regular supply of oxygen and nutrients. When the pulmonary arteries are blocked, the trophism of the functioning alveoli is disrupted. Persistent ischemia eventually leads to tissue necrosis, which is fraught with the appearance of a focus of vascular necrosis. Blood clots enter the respiratory system due to drift from the peripheral veins of the lower extremities.

What is a pulmonary infarction and why is it so dangerous?

Prolonged ischemia inevitably leads to tissue necrosis. When similar changes occur when the heart muscle succumbs to necrosis due to blockage of the coronary arteries.

Pulmonary infarction - develops after the appearance of a blood clot in the arteries of the lungs or peripheral veins

Attention! It is worth remembering that this is a pathological condition that occurs as a result of vascular embolism. Lobar, segmental and smaller arteries are susceptible to thrombosis.

Causes a significant decrease in the respiratory area of the parenchyma and the number of functioning alveoli.

The following diagnostic methods exist:

radiography (swelling of one or both lungs in the root area is observed, it becomes wider, a special sign is pneumonia followed by pleurisy);
selective angiopulmography (instrumental study of vascular patency);
scintigraphy (using the introduction of radioactive isotopes).

Since the disease is more common in old age, the risk of complications in the absence of vascular treatment in older people is much higher.

Important! The death of lung tissue causes hypertrophy of the right side of the heart, which an experienced doctor can trace in the form of changes in the electrocardiogram.

An increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation is very dangerous in old age, when the heart risks not being able to withstand excessive stress.

Pressure in the artery increases and leads to hemorrhage in the lungs

What is the prognosis for pulmonary infarction?

In contrast to necrosis of myocardiocytes, necrosis of the pulmonary parenchyma has a much lower mortality rate. Pathological changes largely depend on the diameter of the vessel that has been blocked.

Attention! The most dangerous is when a blood clot enters a large artery; blockage of segmental vessels is much easier for patients to tolerate.

The likelihood of a negative outcome increases when:

severe form of heart failure;
repeat pulmonary embolism;
significant pulmonary edema;
post-infarction pneumonia;
pleurisy and the formation of purulent inflammation.

It is very important to start preventive treatment on time if you suspect the presence of blood clots or embolism in the bloodstream.

Attention! Patients with thrombosis of the veins of the lower extremities are prohibited from sudden movements or excessive dynamic loads, since increased blood flow increases the risk of developing pulmonary embolism.

People need to take thrombolytics and anticoagulants to slow the progression of the disease. It is recommended to wear compression garments.

Causes of pulmonary infarction – vessels blocked by blood clots

Pulmonary infarction: main causes and risk factors

Ischemia of pulmonary tissue is often associated with various diseases of the cardiovascular system. The composition of the blood changes, it becomes thicker, and blood circulation in the large and small circles slows down. A significant role in the disease is played by the formation of immune complexes, which are formed due to excessive activity of the human immune system. A lung infarction in a newborn occurs as a result of defects in the circulatory system or a severe infectious disease suffered after pneumonia.

Vascular pathologies include:

heart rhythm disturbances (atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation);
mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve);
acute and chronic heart failure;
systemic vasculitis;
coronary heart disease (angina pectoris or history of myocardial necrosis);
various inflammatory processes in the heart (endocarditis, myocarditis, pancarditis).

There are thromboembolism and fat embolism. Thromboembolism of an artery occurs as a result of a blood clot entering it from the veins of the systemic circulation, most often from the lower extremities. Fat embolism sometimes occurs after severe long bone fractures.

Important! The development of a pulmonary infarction can be triggered by prolonged labor, DVD syndrome, extensive trauma, old age, or a hereditary predisposition to pulmonary embolism.

The size, location and number of blood vessels with blood clots characterize the severity of pulmonary infarction

Symptoms of pulmonary infarction

Timely treatment can significantly reduce the risk of severe complications and save a large number of functioning alveolocytes. It is quite difficult to detect the formation of a focus of necrosis when small arteries are blocked, while thrombosis of large pulmonary vessels can quickly lead to respiratory arrest.

The first signs of pulmonary infarction:

shortness of breath not associated with physical activity or anxiety, which quickly worsens;
pressing chest pain;
blanching of the skin and mucous membranes;
with the development of ischemia, the face acquires a bluish tint;
Auscultation of the heart reveals various disturbances in its rhythm (tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and flutter, extrasystoles);
arterial hypotension;
anxiety, fear, increased heart rate;
chills, increased body temperature, manifestations of intoxication;
productive cough mixed with blood.

An important research method for suspected development of a necrotic process is auscultation of the chest.

In patients with heart defects, a heart attack can be recognized by slight shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat

Attention! When listening to the affected area of the parenchyma, pleural friction noise and fine bubbling rales are observed.

Pulmonary infarction: treatment and prevention

The necrotic process is always accompanied by severe pain, which is sometimes very difficult to cope with. In this case, narcotic analgesics are prescribed. After complete necrosis of the affected area and the formation of connective tissue in its place, pain decreases.

Therapy for a heart attack includes:

narcotic analgesics for pain relief;
enzymatic agents to accelerate the resorption of blood clots (fibrinolytics);
anticoagulants (thin the blood, reduce its ability to voluntarily clot);
drugs whose action is aimed at regeneration and improvement of tissue trophism (angioprotectors, antianginal agents).

In case of damage to a large pulmonary vessel, ischemia occurs in a significant area of the parenchyma. Often patients, especially older ones, lose consciousness due to oxygen starvation. To bring a person out of a critical condition, it is necessary to resort to emergency medical care.

Treatment of pulmonary infarction is based on drugs that dissolve blood clots (fibrinolytics) against vascular collapse (rest, adrenaline, heat)

Resuscitation after a heart attack includes:

administration of painkillers to avoid painful shock;
if there is a sharp drop in blood pressure, it is necessary to administer adrenaline or dopamine intravenously;
to treat pulmonary edema in this case, a diuretic must be administered parenterally;
blockage of the pulmonary artery by a thrombus requires inhaled oxygen;
in case of pulmonary embolism, it is appropriate to use surgical methods to clean the lumen of the vessel from blood clots.

The addition of a bacterial infection provokes the development of pneumonia. To combat inflammation it is necessary to take antibiotics. In severe cases of the disease, pleurisy occurs with the formation of pus. To avoid severe complications, it is important to start antibacterial therapy in a timely manner.

What are the consequences of the disease?

The younger the person, the higher the chances of a quick recovery from illness. A small focus of necrosis is not capable of causing significant harm to its owner. Much more dangerous are changes in the body associated with a decrease in the respiratory surface.

Important! After an illness, it is necessary to carefully monitor your own health, since shortness of breath and fatigue are often associated with a reduced respiratory surface area.

Serious complications of the necrotic process include:

pneumonia with bacterial infection;
pulmonary edema leading to chronic tissue hypoxia;
if a heart attack occurs against the background of reduced immunity, fluid may form in the lungs and pleurisy;
dead tissue nearby increases the likelihood of purulent formations.

Hemorrhagic pulmonary infarction occurs due to insufficient oxygen flow, as a result of which the damaged tissue is filled with blood. Thus, the body tries to compensate for ischemia. Such an environment is favorable for the development of bacteria with the subsequent development of pneumonia and purulent formations. A microslide for this form of the disease will contain a dense cone-shaped area of cherry-colored lesions and fibrous formations on the nearby pleura.

By heart attack, most people mean a disease of the heart muscle. Few people know, but there is also a pulmonary infarction. The disease develops against the background of circulatory disorders in the pulmonary artery. The cause of the disorder may be embolism or thrombosis. This serious condition is the cause of death for 40% of modern people after 50 years of age.

Causes and classification of the disease

A pulmonary infarction can occur after surgery, childbirth in women, with a malignant tumor and bone fractures, in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, are obese or have vasculitis. Due to the fact that a blood clot forms in the artery, the lumen in the vessels narrows, thereby creating great pressure in them. Ultimately, the walls of the vessels cannot withstand it, and hemorrhage occurs into the lung tissue.

It should be noted that a heart attack occurs in one lung; both lungs are almost never affected at the same time. As a rule, a heart attack develops in the right lung 2 times more often. In this case, hemorrhage occurs 4 times more often in the lower lobe of the organ. An infarction of the right lung appears against the background of venous stagnation. This phenomenon is hemorrhagic in nature. The disease is characterized by dull symptoms and appears against the background of embolism of the branches of the pulmonary artery.

Medicine is constantly evolving and finding ways to solve the most complex anatomical problems. Today, doctors have a good understanding of the causes of the disease, so they are also good at treating diseases such as pulmonary infarction. There is even a certain classification:

massive thromboembolism;
submassive thromboembolism;
thromboembolism of small pulmonary arteries.

Massive thromboembolism appears in the main branches of the pulmonary artery. Submassive affects lobar and segmental branches.

A heart attack can be primary or secondary, limited or extensive.

Symptoms of the disease

Pulmonary infarction symptoms begin to appear 2-3 days after the blockage has formed.

You can recognize a mild heart attack by a number of characteristic symptoms:

sudden shortness of breath that worsens with the slightest movement;
pale skin with a bluish tint;
chest pain;
feeling of lack of air, attacks of suffocation;
decreased blood pressure;
heartbeat disturbances;
cough with bloody sputum;
increased body temperature;
wheezing and whistling in the chest.

It is important to note that with this disease, half of the patients develop serous or hemorrhagic pleurisy. Hemorrhagic pleurisy appears, as a rule, with thromboembolism of small pulmonary arteries. Occasionally, fainting and convulsions are noted. As a result of this disease, hemoglobin begins to actively disintegrate, which provokes jaundice and changes in the liver. This decay manifests itself in the form of nausea, bouts of vomiting, pain in the hypochondrium and abdomen, and continuous hiccups. If an infection joins the area of the lung that suffers a heart attack, then bacterial and abscess pneumonia, candidiasis and gangrene of the lung also develop.

Diagnosis of the disease

In order to diagnose cardiogenic pulmonary edema and pulmonary infarction, pneumonia plays a decisive role, since against its background all symptoms look very informative. If there is no pneumonia, then diagnosis is difficult, because the above symptoms are quite typical for heart disease and can characterize pulmonary edema during myocardial infarction. To make a correct diagnosis requires clearly coordinated actions of two specialists - a pulmonologist and a cardiologist. Among the laboratory tests and instrumental studies that are prescribed for lung disease, the following can be noted:

biochemical blood test and gas composition analysis;
X-ray;
angiopulmonography;
scintigraphy.

Based on the tests obtained, the doctor can diagnose cardiogenic pulmonary edema or a heart attack. Cardiogenic edema leads to hemorrhage into the lung tissue. If you do not promptly help a patient diagnosed with cardiogenic pulmonary edema, the consequences will be fatal.

Principles of treatment

Once pulmonary infarction is diagnosed, treatment begins immediately. Pulmonary edema in heart failure, like pulmonary infarction, requires immediate hospitalization and surgical intervention. The course of the pathological process itself directly depends on the number of vessels that were damaged and their location. A heart attack is treated only in a hospital setting; an admitted patient with a similar diagnosis is classified as severe.

As mentioned above, pneumonia often develops against the background of a pulmonary infarction, so treatment is carried out with the participation of antibacterial drugs. The doctor chooses the medicine individually. To eliminate the pulmonary infarction itself, the doctor uses drugs that are prescribed to resolve the blood clot in the vessels. In combination with fibrinolytic drugs, anticoagulants are also used, which reduce spasm of the pulmonary bronchioles and arterioles. In order to prevent relapse of the disease, heparin therapy is used. Heparin is taken for a week; the medication cannot be taken longer, as the risk of developing osteoporosis, hypoaldosteronism, and thrombocytopenia increases. To relieve pain, analgesics of narcotic and non-narcotic content are prescribed. Most often prescribed are Morphine, Cordiamin, Mezaton. To reduce shortness of breath, doctors often recommend ozone therapy. If bronchospasm develops, Eufuli is prescribed, which is designed to reduce high pressure in the artery. Pulmonary infarction is treated with drugs such as:

Alvezin;
Analgin;
Norepinephrine;
Reopoliglyukin;
Streptodecase;
Fibrinolysin.

If a person has a high risk of relapse, or conservative treatment is contraindicated, then surgical intervention is prescribed. In most cases, the patient will have vena cava filters installed in the area of the renal veins during surgery. They will stop the clot as it moves toward the lungs. The operation is performed under general anesthesia with further hospital stay. After the operation, the patient must be observed by a doctor for several months.

After a pulmonary infarction, scars can form. This is not scary in principle, because the disease itself provokes the death of cells, which are subsequently replaced by rough connective tissue. A dense ball of connective tissue forms several months after a heart attack. The rate of scarring directly depends on the extent of the affected tissue. At an early stage, the slightest physical activity can cause serious pathologies. At later stages post-infarction, physical activity is necessary for the lungs to strengthen the organ and restore its normal functionality.

Pulmonary infarction is a very serious and life-threatening disease. Treatment at home with folk remedies is stupid and strictly prohibited. Not only will this not help improve the patient’s well-being, but it will also worsen the situation and ultimately lead to death. The only thing that traditional medicine recipes can do is strengthen the patient’s immunity after surgery and improve the absorption of medications during the rehabilitation period.

It is best to prevent pulmonary infarction through preventive measures. If you have cardiovascular diseases, then you must follow all the doctor’s instructions: stick to your diet, exclude fatty and spicy foods from your menu, which increase cholesterol in the blood. A patient with disorders of the cardiovascular system and lungs must always be completely at rest, not be stressed either emotionally or physically. It is imperative to give up bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol, and also start leading a healthy lifestyle.

An advanced disease entails a number of consequences, the most deplorable of which is thromboembolism. That is why, after basic therapy and surgery, doctors actively prevent this consequence. The patient must constantly monitor the condition of the peripheral veins by regularly undergoing ultrasound examination.

Every year, pulmonary infarction affects younger and younger patients. If 10 years ago a similar diagnosis was given to people after 50 years of age, today there are already patients 30-35 years old. Despite the fact that the lungs are a paired organ, they need care and care no less than others. By undergoing preventive examinations with a pulmonologist and cardiologist at least 2 times a year, you will be able to identify the pathological processes that precede a heart attack and eliminate them in a timely manner. It is very important not to miss the moment when everything can still be corrected by taking medications without resorting to surgery.

Pulmonary infarction is a pathological condition of the lungs in which the death of lung tissue occurs, caused by thrombosis of the arteries localized in the lung.

Partial or complete closure of the vessels that feed the lung tissue leads to oxygen starvation of the zones that fed the vessel, which leads to the gradual death of the lung tissue.

This condition, in critical cases, leads to rapid death.

In its essence, the death of lung tissue is similar to the manifestations of the death of heart muscle tissue. And they are provoked by the same pathological progress - insufficient oxygen supplies to the tissues.

Pulmonary infarction does not always lead to death; the consequences depend directly on the vessel that succumbed to the pathological influence and the degree of its occlusion.

Quick death occurs when the pulmonary artery thromboses.

Classification according to ICD-10

According to the international classification of diseases, pulmonary infarction belongs to the coding: I26.9 (Pulmonary embolism without mention of acute cor pulmonale).

Causes of pulmonary infarction

The main reason for the death of lung tissue is the blockage of pulmonary vessels by blood clots. Their formation can occur directly in the vessels of the lungs, or transferred to the lungs through peripheral veins (with pulmonary embolism).

Inflammatory or atherosclerotic processes affecting the walls of the pulmonary artery and its tributaries, in most cases, result in the formation of blood clots.

A blood clot that blocks the lumen of a vessel provokes insufficient blood supply to the tissues - this process is called ischemia. This leads to insufficient supplies of oxygen, which is transported during normal blood circulation, leading to a pathological process.

When a vessel in the lung is completely blocked, the pressure on the walls of the affected artery increases, reaching maximum values. As a result of this process, internal hemorrhage occurs into the lung cavity.

The main cause of pulmonary infarction is blockage of the pulmonary artery by a blood clot.

Infection of the affected vessel can lead to the progression of pneumonia, hemorrhagic area, purulent formations and other equally dangerous pathological conditions.

Pulmonary infarction quite often progresses in patients who are characterized by inherited or acquired heart pathologies, pathological anatomy of the structure of the heart or lung structures, cardiac ischemia and cardiomyopathy.

The formation of blood clots in the heart occurs, in most cases, in the right atrium, after which the thrombus embolizes into the vascular network of the lungs.

The most common causes of lung tissue death are listed below:

Tumor formations;
General infection of the body by pathological microbes that have entered the blood;
Bone fractures;
High blood clotting rate;
Inflammation of the walls of blood vessels with the formation of blood clots on them;
Rheumatic diseases;
Burns;
Anemic conditions;
Kidney infection;
Stagnation of blood in the vessels of the lungs;
Primary myocardial damage that is not associated with inflammation, tumors, or ischemia;
Open surgical interventions;
Heart failure.

Among the risk factors that increase the chance of thrombosis of the pulmonary vessels are:

Excessive amount of excess weight;
Long-term therapy with hormonal drugs;
Spleen removal surgery;
Taking medications that increase blood clotting;
Chemotherapy;
Prolonged bed rest, or immobility;
Difficult childbirth;
Damage to the vessel wall during venous puncture.

Symptoms of pulmonary infarction

The symptoms that appear during a pulmonary tissue infarction directly depend on the extent of the damage and the general well-being of the patient.

If the blood clot affects a distant small artery and a tiny amount of tissue dies, then there may be no symptoms.

If a heart attack occurs without symptoms, the x-ray picture itself disappears after ten days. Minor death of lung tissue is recorded accidentally during the treatment of its infectious consequences.

With more extensive tissue damage, the symptoms are clearly expressed and, in most cases, coincide with the signs of heart failure and pneumonia, but are characterized by a rapid increase and strong manifestations.

The main signs of pulmonary infarction are:

Heavy breathing - its appearance occurs suddenly, with a gradually rapid increase;
Sharp pain in the chest, side, or under the shoulder blade;
Frequent heartbeats;
Decline in blood pressure;
Gray skin, possible cyanosis;
Weak pulse;
Cough with expectoration of blood and mucus. Initially, the cough will be dry, but soon blood will appear. With further progression, coughing discharge becomes dark brown in color;
With extreme failure of the heart or respiratory system, collapse progresses with the threat of death.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis is difficult in severe forms of pulmonary infarction, since the symptoms of pneumonia and pulmonary infarction are very similar, and it is not always established what appeared first.

Microinfarctions, in most cases, are diagnosed during routine hardware examinations of the lungs. And to diagnose moderate severity, a person needs to go to the hospital.

The doctor performs an initial examination to determine obvious symptoms, listens to all the patient’s complaints and studies the medical history.

Based on the information collected, the doctor sends the patient for hardware tests that will help accurately diagnose the disease.

The most common research methods for suspected pulmonary infarction are shown in the table below.

Type of study	Characteristic
X-ray with contrast agent	The patient is given a substance intravenously that helps make X-ray images clearer. The images show a faint shadow localized in the lower or middle part of the lung. Pain when coughing is also located in this area of the chest
Angiopulmonography	This hardware study helps to determine filling defects and identify the formation of blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Electrocardiogram	Helps identify symptoms of right ventricular failure
Doppler examination of the veins of the lower extremities	Determines the presence or absence of blood clots in the veins of the legs
CT or MRI	They are used more rarely, as they are quite expensive research methods, but they are the most informative methods of examination today.

What treatment is used for acute conditions and rehabilitation?

The death of lung tissue is an emergency condition that requires prompt, highly qualified intervention in intensive care.

Therapy for pulmonary infarction is complex and long-term. The patient is prescribed several groups of medications at once, which prevent the formation of blood clots, promote their dissolution and relieve the symptoms of the disease.

The most common medications are:

Fibrinolytics (Streptokinase, Urokinase, Tissue plasminogen activator)– is used first of all, and requires that the patient does not have severely elevated blood pressure. Contraindications are: stroke a month ago, hemorrhagic diathesis, pregnancy. In extreme forms of heart attack, surgical intervention is used - thrombectomy;
Anticoagulants (Heparin, Dicoumarin, Phenilin)– drugs resist the expansion of a blood clot and stop the process of blood clot formation, but do not dissolve them. Medicines help relieve spasm from small vessels of the lung, bronchi and alveoli. The course of treatment with Heparin lasts no more than ten days, after which the other drugs mentioned are used;
Antiplatelet agents (Aspirin, Cardiomagnyl, Thrombo ACC)– help prevent the re-formation of blood clots;
Analgesics (Morphine, Analgin) – used for acute pain. The drugs help relieve pain, improve blood circulation and eliminate shortness of breath. Morphine is administered in one percent form intravenously. Analgesics that are not narcotic are administered for pain when breathing, coughing and changing body position;
Antispasmodics (Papaverine, Drotaverine)– help relieve spasm from blood vessels by injection into the muscle;
Calcium preparations– used for internal hemorrhage in the lungs;
Vasoprocessors (Dobutamine, Dopamine) – used to treat shock conditions;
Eufillin– used to relieve spasms from the bronchi.

After the acute condition has been resolved, general antibacterial therapy is applied, and treatment is aimed at eliminating symptoms.

Rehabilitation after a pulmonary infarction involves the use of the following medications:

Antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin, Ceftriaxone)– are broad-spectrum antibiotics and are used for prophylactic purposes, to prevent inflammation of the lungs and the formation of pus;
Trental, Cavinton, Actovegin– used to accelerate tissue restoration processes;
Cardiac glycosides (Strophanthin, Korglykon)– help ease the work of the heart;
Furosemide, Lasix– used for clearly expressed high blood pressure;
Prednisolone, Reopoliglyukin, Strophanthin– used for low blood pressure. When they are introduced into the body, the weight of the above-mentioned drugs is prohibited;
Installation of a vena cava filter in the inferior vena cava– occurs during a pulmonary infarction, to prevent blood clots from entering the veins of the lower extremities into the general bloodstream.

The choice of treatment is made by the attending physician based on the patient’s condition, the extent of the lesion and research results.

What consequences might there be?

Complications that can progress due to pulmonary infarction are life-threatening.

Possible complications are:

Infarct bacterial pneumonia;
Formation of scar tissue on the lung;
Lung gangrene;
Rupture of aortic protrusion;
Post-infarction abscess;
Spontaneous pneumothorax;
Hemorrhage into the lungs;
Fatal outcome.

Prevention

In order to prevent the occurrence of a pulmonary infarction, or to help eliminate it as quickly as possible, it is necessary to adhere to preventive actions.

The main goal of preventing pulmonary infarction is to counteract the stagnation of blood in the veins of the legs, which will help prevent the formation of blood clots.

Daily lifestyle should include:

Proper nutrition. The diet should consist of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, herbal ingredients and other foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. From the diet you need to eliminate highly fatty and fried meat and fish, salty, spicy and other foods of little benefit to the body;
Maintaining water balance. You need to drink at least one and a half liters of clean drinking water per day;
Lead a more active lifestyle. Set aside at least one hour a day for walking. It is recommended to engage in active sports;
Treat infectious diseases in a timely manner;
Get checked regularly by a doctor for early diagnosis of possible diseases.

People who are at risk or have already suffered a pulmonary infarction are recommended to:

Wear compression garments on the lower extremities, which will help prevent the formation of blood clots;
Do not use medications aimed at increasing blood clotting;
Timely prevent an increase in blood pressure in the lungs;
During bed rest, the patient must be mobilized as early as possible;
Ligation of leg veins can be done to prevent the formation of blood clots.

Pulmonary infarction - prognosis

Prediction is made in each individual case based on the extent of the lesion, concomitant diseases and the timeliness of assistance provided.

Pulmonary infarction is not a fatal pathology if treated in a timely manner. If qualified medical care is provided in a timely manner, the prognosis is favorable.

During the period of untimely provision of assistance for a pulmonary infarction, serious complications can progress, which can subsequently threaten the patient’s life.

It is important to follow all the necessary preventive recommendations to prevent the formation of blood clots, which can further aggravate the patient’s situation.

If there is delay or ineffective medical care, the patient’s life is in danger. Large-scale death of lung tissue will lead to sudden death.

In case of a heart attack, it is important to take the patient to intensive care as soon as possible for assistance.

If you notice the slightest symptoms, go to the hospital for a full examination and effective treatment.

Do not self-medicate and be healthy!

It is no secret that ischemic injury or heart attack - necrosis or tissue necrosis, can affect any metabolite-active organs.

So, in fact, a pulmonary infarction is a lesion of an organ in which its necrotic foci develop (one foci).

Unfortunately, pulmonary infarction is considered an incredibly dangerous, formidable condition that, under certain conditions, can lead the patient to immediate death.

Pathology does not develop very rarely and, in this regard, it is advisable for all of us to know and remember the main symptoms of pathology, the causes of its occurrence, as well as the rules of first aid for such patients.

It is also advisable to understand how to distinguish the disease from common pneumonia or a cold, the symptoms of which may be similar.

What is this emergency?

A pathology called pulmonary infarction can also be called pulmonary embolism - these are certain disturbances in the circulatory process in limited areas of the pulmonary parenchyma.

A pulmonary infarction has the opportunity to develop after a primary blockage (thrombosis, embolism) of the lobar, segmental or smaller arteries feeding our lungs (signs of stagnation are found in both microscopic and macroscopic specimens).

According to statistics, pulmonary infarction in one form or another accounts for from ten to thirty percent of all cases of pulmonary embolism. A lung infarction (sometimes both) more often affects people older than middle age, patients suffering from thrombophlebitis, hypertension, and atherosclerosis.

The problem develops:

After mechanical blockage (thromb, embolus) of one branch of the artery supplying our lung tissue;
For local, general circulatory disorders affecting the pulmonary circulation;
After the occurrence of inflammatory changes in the lung tissue;
After neuro-reflex or biochemical changes in the pathological area.

Causal factors provoking the disease

In the vast majority of situations, the reasons for the development of such a pathology as pulmonary infarction lie in the separation of a blood clot, its movement by the blood stream, and subsequent blockage of the pulmonary artery. Somewhat less frequently, hemorrhagic pulmonary infarction may develop, associated with rupture of arteries and hemorrhage into the lung parenchyma.

The condition of ischemic or hemorrhagic lung damage may occur after the patient has encountered the following diseases:

state of hypertension;
had a history of sickle cell anemia;
nephrotic syndrome;
detected malignant neoplasms.

In addition, the reasons for the development of the pathology in question may lie in the primary treatment with chemotherapy, when eliminating the oncological pathology.

Sometimes this emergency condition can occur in young women in the postpartum period, after certain surgical interventions, with complex fractures of long bones, with chronic heart failure, prolonged immobilization, etc.

Important! In rare cases, even complicated pneumonia can cause the development of embolism or necrosis. Most often we are talking about congestive pneumonia with other complex pathologies.

And, of course, one cannot help but remember that the cause of such a heart attack can be primary pulmonary edema during myocardial infarction, as its dangerous complication. The condition of a heart attack, as a rule, can occur against the background of primary venous stagnation, which occurs with all of the above ailments.

Symptoms

How does the pathology in question manifest itself? How often does pulmonary edema occur during myocardial infarction, when water can accumulate in the organ? Most often, symptoms of necrotic lung disease may include:

sudden, fairly intense chest pain;
the appearance of shortness of breath at rest;
severe pallor of the skin;
sometimes, an increase in body temperature;
development of rhythm and heart rate disorders;
cyanosis – more often occurring with thromboembolism;
hypotension, sometimes collapse;
development of cerebral disorders;
the appearance of a cough with bloody sputum;
symptoms of myocardial hypoxia.

Also, the symptoms of the pathology in question can be supplemented by signs of pneumonia, abdominal syndrome, intestinal paresis, leukocytosis, profuse vomiting, indomitable hiccups, dysgraphia, etc.

Varieties

It is quite clear that the described pathology may have several different variants or types.

Thus, according to the mechanism of occurrence, the pathology is divided into hemorrhagic (associated with hemorrhage in the lungs) and ischemic (occurring due to insufficient blood supply).

In addition, according to the time of development of the disease, doctors distinguish:

Primary infarctions that do not develop without detecting the localization of thrombus detachment.
Secondary ischemia associated with venous thrombophlebitis. This may include postoperative and postpartum lung pathologies.

Separately, there are: uncomplicated secondary pathology and complicated pulmonary infarctions. This pathology can be complicated by: abscess, empyema, sepsis.

Based on the area of damage to the lung tissue, doctors distinguish:

Limited infarcts, where the affected area is connected to the subsegmental branch of the pulmonary artery.
As well as extensive lung infarctions, with the largest possible area of necrosis.

The differences in these conditions are clearly visible when examining microscopic or macroscopic specimens.

Diagnostic and treatment methods

Unfortunately, diagnosing the emergency condition in question is not always easy. This is due to the fact that pathology can manifest itself in completely different ways, and the degree of intensity of symptoms can also vary.

To make a correct diagnosis, the following are most often used:

Ultrasound of the chest organs;
ECG, since this technique allows you to notice overload of the right parts of the heart muscle;
X-ray examinations of the lungs;
radioisotope scanning techniques;
method of selective angiopulmonography.

Undoubtedly, when detecting pathology, laboratory tests, microscopic examinations, and subsequent macroscopic examinations are of great importance.

Microspecimens and macrospecimens for this pathology make it possible to detect specific necrotic inclusions, compactions or ruptures of lung tissue.

In addition, differential diagnosis of this disease is incredibly important, distinguishing a heart attack from:

acute coronary syndrome, in which the microspecimen and macrospecimen will have a completely different appearance;
asthma;
of course, myocardial infarction, studies of microspecimens and macrospecimens, in which they will differ markedly;
myocarditis of various origins;
pleurisy;
pericarditis;
rib injuries, etc.

Oxygen therapy

Treatment of this emergency condition directly depends on the data obtained from the studies, on the facts found in the microspecimen or macrospecimen, data from radiological, computer and other studies.