My husband just spent 5 days in the hospital getting IV diaretics to remove fluid …lost 10 lbs. He has congestive heart failure. I know that the blood and ergo the oxygen is not flowing freely, by how does this cause fluid buildup and what IS the fluid. How is this different from fluid in lungs from pneumonia?
In: 6
(firstly sorry about your husband)
1) The heart pushes blood all around the body and sucks it back again.
2) Blood is made up of fluid (plasma) with the blood cells in it making it look red.
3) Heart ‘failure’ is like an engine running on only 2 cylinders so it’s less efficient at pumping it and sucking it back up.
4) So the blood (with fluid) sits around a bit longer (eg in the legs where it’s harder to suck it back from).
5) That stagnant fluid then leaks into the skin hence swelling legs. If it gets so bad it leaks into the lungs and hence interferes with breathing.
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