How to live after a heart attack of the lung. Lung infarction: causes, treatment and consequences

Every person should take care of their health. And this care is expressed not in self-torture by diets and physical activity, but in the annual passage of a medical examination. Often, many serious diseases are asymptomatic and are discovered by chance during the medical examination. For example, symptoms may be absent in a pulmonary infarction. However, this condition is dangerous in its consequences. What is a pulmonary infarction, what manifestations should cause alertness and make a person immediately consult a doctor?

Description of the disease

The development of this disease contributes to many reasons. But regardless of the factors, a heart attack develops due to blood clots, which, once in the vessels of the lungs, impede blood flow. The symptoms of this disease are similar to myocardial infarction. However, it is developing much faster. Already within a day, the area of the lung, fed by an artery blocked by a thrombus, completely loses its functions, causing pulmonary insufficiency.

In rare cases, patients experience CNS disorders in the form of convulsions, 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 thrombus, pulmonary candidiasis, bacterial pneumonia, abscess, and gangrene may develop.

With the defeat of small vessels in a person, there may be no signs of the disease at all. A lung 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 proceeding with the direct provision of assistance to 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 a laboratory study of blood and urine, which allow a preliminary diagnosis to be made. Hardware diagnostic methods help to confirm it. These include:

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

X-ray examination allows you to detect a wedge-shaped shadow, which is most often located on the right side. The site affected by a thrombus has the shape of a pyramid, the top of which is facing the root of the lung, and its base is towards the periphery.

Treatment of pulmonary infarction should be carried out as early as possible. At the same time, it begins with the elimination of pain with the help of analgesics: both narcotic and non-narcotic.

Next, the patient is given drugs to prevent further thrombosis and dissolve existing blood clots. In case of ineffectiveness of conservative treatment, the patient undergoes a surgical operation, during which a cava filter is installed in the system of the inferior vena cava.

Prognosis for life and disease prevention

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 life.

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

The 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 exercise therapy;
performance of special gymnastics after surgical interventions;
wearing compression underwear 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 disturbed. 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 resulting from or vascular embolism. Thrombosis lends itself to lobar, segmental and smaller arteries.

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

There are the following diagnostic methods:

radiography (there is swelling of one or both lungs in the root area, 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 the lung tissue causes hypertrophy of the right heart, which an experienced doctor can trace in the form of changes on the electrocardiogram.

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

The pressure in the artery increases and leads to hemorrhage into the lungs

What is the prognosis for pulmonary infarction?

Unlike necrosis of myocardiocytes, with necrosis of the lung parenchyma, the mortality rate is much lower. Pathological changes largely depend on the diameter of the vessel that has undergone blockage.

Attention! The most dangerous is the ingress of a blood clot into a large artery, blockage of segmental vessels is much easier for patients to tolerate.

The probability of a negative outcome increases with:

severe form of heart failure;
repeated PE;
significant pulmonary edema;
postinfarction pneumonia;
pleurisy and the formation of purulent inflammation.

It is very important to start prophylactic 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 with increased blood flow, the risk of developing pulmonary embolism increases.

People need to take thrombolytics and anticoagulants to slow down the course of the disease. It is recommended to wear compression underwear.

Causes of pulmonary infarction - vessels blocked by blood clots

Lung infarction: main causes and risk factors

Ischemia of the lung tissue is often associated with various diseases of the cardiovascular system. The composition of the blood changes, it becomes thicker, 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 as a result of excessive activity of the human immune system. A pulmonary infarction in a newborn occurs due to malformations of the circulatory system or a severe infectious disease, after pneumonia.

Vascular pathologies include:

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

Distinguish between 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 fractures of tubular bones.

Important! Prolonged labor, DVZ-syndrome, extensive trauma, advanced age or hereditary predisposition to PE can provoke the development of pulmonary infarction.

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

Symptoms of a 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 in case of blockage of small arteries, while thrombosis of large pulmonary vessels can quickly lead to respiratory arrest.

The first signs of a pulmonary infarction:

shortness of breath, not associated with physical exertion or excitement, which quickly worsens;
chest pain of a pressing nature;
blanching of the skin and mucous membranes;
with the development of ischemia, the face acquires a bluish tint;
auscultation of the heart reveals various violations of its rhythm (tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and flutter, extrasystoles);
arterial hypotension;
anxiety, fear, increased heart rate;
chills, fever, manifestations of intoxication;
productive cough with an admixture of 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, palpitations

Attention! When listening to the affected area of the parenchyma, there is a pleural friction noise and fine bubbling rales.

Lung 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 the 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 (thinn the blood, reduce its ability to voluntarily clot);
drugs, the action of which is aimed at regeneration and improvement of tissue trophism (angioprotectors, antianginal agents).

In case of damage to a large pulmonary vessel, ischemia of a significant area of the parenchyma occurs. Often, patients, especially the elderly, 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, warmth)

Resuscitation after a heart attack includes:

the introduction of painkillers to avoid pain shock;
with a sharp drop in blood pressure, adrenaline or dopamine must be administered intravenously;
for the treatment of pulmonary edema in this case, a parenteral diuretic is required;
blockage of the pulmonary artery by a thrombus requires inhaled oxygen;
in PE, it is appropriate to use surgical methods to clear the lumen of the vessel from blood clots.

The addition of a bacterial infection provokes the development of pneumonia. You need to take antibiotics to fight the inflammation. In severe cases of the disease, pleurisy occurs with the formation of pus. To avoid severe complications, it is important to start antibiotic 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 the state of one's 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 in the lungs and pleurisy may form;
dead tissue near increases the likelihood of purulent formations.

Hemorrhagic pulmonary infarction occurs due to insufficient oxygen supply, as a result of which the damaged tissue overflows 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 micropreparation with this form of the disease will contain a dense cone-shaped cherry-colored lesion and fibrous formations on the nearby pleura.

Most people understand a heart attack as a disease of the heart muscle. Few people know, but there is also a lung infarction. The disease develops against the background of circulatory disorders in the pulmonary artery. The cause of the violation may be an embolism or thrombosis. This serious condition is the cause of death of 40% of modern people after 50 years.

Causes and classification of the disease

A pulmonary infarction can form 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 a lot of pressure in them. Ultimately, the walls of the vessels do not withstand, and hemorrhage occurs in the lung tissue.

It should be noted that a heart attack occurs in one lung, while both lungs almost never suffer 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. The infarction of the right lung appears on the background of venous congestion. This phenomenon is hemorrhagic in nature. The disease is characterized by blunted 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. To date, doctors have already well understood the causes of the course of the disease, therefore they are also good at treating such a disease as a lung 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 the lobar and segmental branches.

The heart attack can be primary and secondary, limited and extensive.

Symptoms of the disease

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

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

sudden shortness of breath, which increases with the slightest movement;
pale skin with a bluish tint;
chest pain;
feeling of lack of air, attacks of suffocation;
pressure reduction;
palpitations;
cough with bloody sputum;
increase in 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 decompose, 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, in 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 the symptoms look very informative. If there is no pneumonia, then the diagnosis is difficult, because the above symptoms are quite typical for heart disease and can characterize pulmonary edema in myocardial infarction. To make a correct diagnosis requires well-coordinated actions of two specialists - a pulmonologist and a cardiologist. Among the laboratory tests and instrumental studies that are prescribed for lung disease, one can note:

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 help a patient who has been diagnosed with cardiogenic pulmonary edema in a timely manner, the consequences will be fatal.

Principles of treatment

As soon as a pulmonary infarction disease is diagnosed, treatment begins immediately. Pulmonary edema in heart failure, like pulmonary infarction, requires immediate hospitalization and surgery. The course of the pathological process itself directly depends on the number of vessels that have been 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, against the background of a pulmonary infarction, pneumonia often develops, so treatment is carried out with the participation of antibacterial drugs. The medicine is chosen individually by the doctor. To eliminate the lung infarction itself, the doctor uses drugs that are prescribed for the resorption of a 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 recurrence of the disease, heparin therapy is used. Heparin is taken for a week, it is impossible to use the medication for longer, as the risk of developing osteoporosis, hypoaldosteronism, and thrombocytopenia increases. To stop the pain syndrome, analgesics of narcotic and non-narcotic content are prescribed. Most often, Morphine, Cordiamin, Mezaton are prescribed. To reduce shortness of breath, doctors often recommend ozone therapy. With the development of bronchospasm, Eufuli is prescribed, which is designed to reduce high blood 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 cava filters placed in the area of the renal veins during the operation. They will stop the clot as it travels towards the lungs. The operation is performed under general anesthesia with a further stay in the hospital. After the operation, the patient should be observed by a doctor for several more months.

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

Lung 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 to improve the patient's well-being, but it will further aggravate the situation, and ultimately lead to death. The only thing that traditional medicine recipes can do is to strengthen the patient's immunity after surgery and improve the absorption of medicines during the rehabilitation period.

It is best to prevent pulmonary infarction through preventive measures. If there are cardiovascular diseases, then it is necessary to follow all the doctor's instructions: stick to a diet, exclude fatty and spicy dishes from your menu that increase blood cholesterol. A patient with disorders of the cardiovascular system and lungs should always be in complete rest, not to strain either emotionally or physically. Be sure to give up bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol, as well as start leading a healthy lifestyle.

A neglected disease entails a number of consequences, the most deplorable of which is thromboembolism. That is why, after the main therapy and surgical intervention, doctors actively prevent this consequence. The patient must constantly monitor the condition of the peripheral veins, regularly undergoing ultrasound.

Every year, pulmonary infarction affects more and more young patients. If 10 years ago a similar diagnosis was made to people over 50 years old, 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 the rest. By undergoing preventive examinations by a pulmonologist and a 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 surgical intervention.

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

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

This condition, in critical cases, leads to a transient death.

In 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 supply of oxygen to the tissues.

Not always a pulmonary infarction leads to death, the consequences depend directly on the vessel that has succumbed to pathological effects and the degree of its overlap.

An early death occurs with thrombosis of the pulmonary artery.

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 overlap of pulmonary vessels with blood clots. Their formation can occur directly in the vessels of the lungs, or is transferred to the lungs through peripheral veins (with PE).

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

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

With complete blockage of the vessel in the lung, there is an increase in pressure on the walls of the affected artery, reaching limit values. As a result of this process, internal hemorrhage occurs in the lung cavity.

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

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

Pulmonary infarction often progresses in patients who are characterized by inherited or acquired heart pathologies, pathological anatomy of the structure of the structures of the heart or lungs, 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 pulmonary vasculature.

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

Tumor formations;
General infection of the body with pathological microbes that have entered the blood;
bone fractures;
A large indicator of blood clotting;
Inflammation of the walls of blood vessels with the formation of blood clots on them;
Rheumatic diseases;
burns;
anemic conditions;
Infectious damage to the kidneys;
Stagnation of blood in the vessels of the lungs;
Primary myocardial damage that is not associated with inflammation, tumors, or ischemia;
Operational interventions of an open type;
Heart failure.

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

Excessive amount of excess weight;
Long-term therapy with hormonal drugs;
Surgery to remove the spleen;
The use of drugs that increase blood clotting;
Chemotherapy;
Prolonged bed rest, or immobility;
Difficult childbirth;
Damage to the vessel wall during vein puncture.

Symptoms of a pulmonary infarction

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

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

When a heart attack occurs without symptoms, the x-ray picture itself disappears after ten days. Insignificant death of lung tissue is recorded by chance during the treatment of its consequences of an infectious nature.

With more extensive tissue lesions, the symptoms are clearly pronounced and, in most cases, coincide with signs of heart failure and pneumonia, but are characterized by a transient increase and severe manifestations.

The main signs of a pulmonary infarction are:

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

Diagnostics

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

Microinfarcts, in most cases, are diagnosed during routine hardware studies of the lungs. And for diagnosing moderate severity, a person needs to go to the hospital.

The doctor performs an initial examination to determine the pronounced symptoms, listens to all the patient's complaints and studies the anamnesis.

Based on the information collected, the doctor sends the patient for hardware studies that will help to 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 an intravenous injection of a substance that helps make x-rays clearer. The pictures show a soft shadow localized in the lower or middle part of the lung. Pain when coughing, also located in this area of the chest
Angiopulmonography	This hardware study helps to identify filling defects and detect 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	It is 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 tissues is an urgent condition that requires the soonest highly qualified intervention in resuscitation.

Therapy for pulmonary infarction is complex and lengthy. The patient is prescribed several groups of drugs at once, which prevent the formation of blood clots, contribute to their dissolution and relieve the symptoms of the disease.

The most common drugs are:

Fibrinolytics (Streptokinase, Urokinase, Tissue Plasminogen Activator)- is used in the first place, and require the absence of a pronounced high blood pressure in the patient. Contraindications are: stroke a month ago, hemorrhagic diathesis, pregnancy. In extreme forms of a heart attack, surgical intervention is used - thrombectomy;
Anticoagulants (Heparin, Dicoumarin, Phenylin)- drugs resist the increase in blood clots and stop the process of formation of blood clots, 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 recurrence 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 a 1% form intravenously. Analgesics, which do not belong to narcotic drugs, are administered for pain during breathing, coughing and changes in body position;
Antispasmodics (Papaverine, Drotaverine)- help relieve spasm from blood vessels by injecting into the muscle;
Calcium preparations- used for internal hemorrhage in the lungs;
Vasoprocessors (Dobutamine, Dopamine) - are used to treat shock conditions;
Eufillin- used to relieve spasms from the bronchi.

After the acute condition is resolved, general antibiotic therapy is applied, and treatment is directed to the elimination of symptoms.

Rehabilitation after a pulmonary infarction consists in the use of the following drugs:

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- are used to accelerate the recovery processes in tissues;
Cardiac glycosides (Strophanthin, Korglikon)- help ease the work of the heart;
Furosemide, Lasix- are used for pronounced high blood pressure;
Prednisolone, Reopoliglyukin, Strofantin- used for low blood pressure. When they are introduced into the body, the weight of the aforementioned means is prohibited;
Installation of a cava filter in the inferior vena cava- occurs with 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 the results of the studies.

What are the consequences?

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

Possible burdens are:

Infarct bacterial pneumonia;
Formation of scar tissue on the lung;
Gangrene of the lung;
Rupture of the protrusion of the aorta;
Postinfarction abscess;
Spontaneous pneumothorax;
Hemorrhage in the lungs;
Fatal outcome.

Prevention

In order to prevent the occurrence of a pulmonary infarction, or to contribute to its speedy elimination, it is required to adhere to preventive measures.

The main goal of preventing a pulmonary infarction is to counter 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 a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, herbal ingredients and other foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. From the diet it is necessary to eliminate strongly fatty and fried meat and fish, salty, spicy and other foods of little use to the body;
Compliance with water balance. You need to drink at least one and a half liters of clean drinking water per day;
Lead a more mobile lifestyle. Set aside at least one hour a day for walking. It is recommended to engage in active sports;
Timely treat infectious diseases;
Get regular check-ups with a doctor for early diagnosis of possible diseases.

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

Wear compression underwear on the lower extremities, which will help resist the formation of blood clots;
Do not use drugs aimed at increasing blood clotting;
Timely prevent an increase in blood pressure in the lungs;
In bed rest, you need to activate the patient as early as possible;
Ligation of the veins of the legs - can be performed to prevent the formation of blood clots.

Lung infarction - prognosis

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

Pulmonary infarction is not a fatal pathology with timely treatment. If qualified medical care is provided in time, then the prognosis is favorable.

During the period of untimely assistance in case of 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.

In case of delay, or the provision of ineffective medical care, the patient's life is in danger. Large-scale death of lung tissues 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 find the slightest symptoms - go to the hospital for a complete examination and effective treatment.

Do not self-medicate and be healthy!

It is no secret to anyone that ischemic damage or infarction - necrosis or necrosis of tissues, can affect any metabolite-active organs.

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

Unfortunately, pulmonary infarction is considered an incredibly dangerous, formidable condition, capable of leading the patient to a lightning-fast death under certain conditions.

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

It is also desirable to understand how to distinguish the disease from banal 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 violations of the circulatory process in limited areas of the lung parenchyma.

A lung infarction gets the opportunity to develop after a primary blockage (thrombosis, embolism) of the lobar, segmental or smaller arteries that feed our lungs (signs of stagnation are found both in a micropreparation and a macropreparation).

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

The problem develops:

After mechanical blockage (thrombus, embolus) of one branch of the artery that feeds our lung tissues;
With local, general circulatory disorders affecting the pulmonary circulation;
After the occurrence of inflammatory changes in the lung tissues;
After neuro-reflex or biochemical changes in the area of pathology.

Causal factors provoking the disease

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

The condition of ischemic or hemorrhagic lung disease can occur after the patient has experienced the following diseases:

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

In addition, the causes of the development of the pathology in question can be concluded in the primary treatment with chemotherapy drugs, with the elimination of oncological pathology.

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

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

And, of course, it is impossible not to remember that the cause of such a heart attack can be primary pulmonary edema in myocardial infarction, as its formidable complication. The state of a heart attack, as a rule, can occur against the background of a primary existing venous stasis, which occurs with all of the above ailments.

Symptoms

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

sudden, fairly intense chest pain;
the appearance of shortness of breath at rest;
sharp pallor of the skin;
sometimes, an increase in body temperature;
development of disorders of rhythm and heart rate;
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 under consideration 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 can have several different variants or types.

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

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

Primary infarcts that do not develop without detecting the location of a thrombus detachment.
Secondary ischemia associated with venous thrombophlebitis. This may include postoperative, postpartum pathology of the lung.

Separately, they distinguish: uncomplicated secondary pathology and complicated lung infarctions. This pathology can be complicated by: abscess, empyema, sepsis.

According to the zone of damage to the lung tissues, physicians distinguish:

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

Differences in these states are clearly visible in studies of micropreparations or macropreparations.

Methods of diagnosis and treatment

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, the degree of intensity of symptoms can also vary.

To make the correct diagnosis, the most commonly used:

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

Undoubtedly, when a pathology is detected, laboratory tests, studies of a micropreparation, and subsequent studies of a macropreparation are of great importance.

Micropreparation and macropreparation in this pathology allows to detect specific necrotic inclusions, seals or ruptures of lung tissue.

In addition, the differential diagnosis of this disease, the delimitation of a heart attack from:

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

Oxygen therapy

The treatment of this emergency condition directly depends on the data obtained from the studies, on the facts found in the micropreparation or macropreparation, on the data of X-ray, computer and other studies.