Why does htn cause edema

There are numerous reasons for the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, the most common being related to heart problems. When the blood pressure starts to raise, the fluid is pushed in the alveoli, reducing the normal oxygen movement.

Swelling in the ankles or legs is associated with heart failure. When pulmonary diseases initiate edema formation, it is a result of right ventricular dysfunction. Blankfield, David W. Schrier RW : Pathogenesis of sodium and water retention in high-output and low-output cardiac failure, nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis, and pregnancy 1.

N Engl J Med ; : — Google Scholar. Am J Hypertens ; 12 : A. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol , In press. Fogari R , Malamani GD , Zoppi A , Preti P , Vanasia A , Fogari E , Mugellini A : Comparative effect of lercanidipine and nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system on ankle volume and subcutaneous interstitial pressure in hypertensive patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study.

Current Therapeutic Research ; 61 : — Weir MR , Rosenberger C , Fink JC : A pilot study to evaluate a water displacement technique to compare effects of diuretics and ACE inhibitors to alleviate lower extremity edema due to dihydropyridine calcium antagonists.

Am J Hypertens ; 14 : — Messerli FH , Oparil S , Feng Z : Comparison of efficacy and side effects of combination therapy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril with calcium antagonist either nifedipine or amlodipine versus high-dose calcium antagonist monotherapy for systemic hypertension.

Am J Cardiol ; 86 : — Arch Intern Med. Nov 24; ; : — Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

Sign In or Create an Account. Sign In. If you've been sitting for a prolonged period, such as on a long flight, and you develop leg pain and swelling that won't go away, call your doctor. Persistent leg pain and swelling can indicate a blood clot deep in your vein deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.

Edema occurs when tiny blood vessels in your body capillaries leak fluid. The fluid builds up in surrounding tissues, leading to swelling. In some cases, however, edema may be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition.

Several diseases and conditions may cause edema, including:. If you are pregnant, your body retains more sodium and water than usual due to the fluid needed by the fetus and placenta. This can increase your risk of developing edema. A chronic illness — such as congestive heart failure or liver or kidney disease — can increase your risk of edema. Also, surgery can sometimes obstruct a lymph node, leading to swelling in an arm or leg, usually on just one side.

Medication-induced swelling does not respond well to diuretics -- commonly knows as water pills -- so it can lead to unnecessary evaluations and treatments unless its underlying cause is suspected. Your doctor can identify any medications that might contribute to edema.

In a person with high blood pressure, edema in the legs and feet could be a sign of serious end-organ damage, such as heart failure or end-stage kidney disease. On the other hand, the edema could also stem from disorders unrelated to your blood pressure, such as liver disease, diabetes, damaged leg veins or blood clots in your legs. Or it might simply be the result of sitting or standing for too long. Regardless of the underlying cause, if you have edema of the legs and feet that suddenly appears or that seems to be worsening, seek medical attention.

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