Most often swelling can be seen in the shins. This is due to the fact that it is here that congestion occurs most easily in violation of the activity of the cardiovascular system.
Depending on its severity, edema of cardiac origin can only spread to the feet, lower legs, or reach the area of the knee joint.
How to determine the presence of edema?
Everyone is able to recognize cardiac edema. A photo of this pathological phenomenon will show the patient's legs and feet enlarged in volume. As a result, even a non-professional can determine their presence. Cardiac edema in the lower extremities is detected very simply. You just need to press on the edematous area with your finger, and then remove it. If the dent persists for 5-10 seconds after the finger is removed, then we are talking about edema. The deeper such a dent, the greater the disruption of the cardiovascular system.
In addition to edema, there is also such a thing as "pasty". Under it, it is customary to understand the almost unexpressed swelling of the legs andstop. At the same time, there are practically no traces left after pressing a finger on the affected area. Pastosity, unlike edema, practically does not require additional therapy.
Cardiac edema: causes of occurrence
It is now reliably known that this phenomenon is observed due to the presence of congestion in the lower extremities. They occur if the right side of the heart is not able to contract with normal force. This leads to an increase in pressure in the systemic circulation, and in particular in the vessels of the lower extremities. At the same time, the venous bed is especially strongly overflowed. Subsequently, the hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries increases, and the fluid rushes through the vascular wall into the surrounding tissues. This is how cardiac edema appears. Symptoms indicate the presence of disorders in the activity of the cardiovascular system. So it is necessary to seek help from a specialist in a timely manner.
What to do if swelling occurs?
First of all, a person needs to double-check whether he is taking the medicines prescribed by his doctor correctly. In the event that all the recommendations were followed, but edema of cardiac origin still appeared, then you should consult a general practitioner or a cardiologist. Even before a visit to the doctor, it does not hurt to undergo an electrocardiography and an ultrasound examination of the heart.
Cardiac leg edema: outpatient treatment
This problem is very common in older patients. Whereinswelling should not persist for a long time, otherwise they can lead to a fairly large number of problems. As a result, if cardiac edema occurs, symptoms of a different nature should not be expected. Treatment must begin immediately.
First of all, the doctor will assess the situation and establish whether cardiac pathology is the basis of the swelling that has arisen. If the problem is really associated with a violation of the activity of the cardiovascular system, then the doctor will prescribe drugs from the group of diuretics. Among them, the most commonly used drugs are Furosemide, Hydrochlorothiazide. However, this treatment is only symptomatic. First of all, the doctor will try to restore the correct activity of the cardiovascular system. The most common drugs that allow it to work are beta-blockers. These drugs reduce the load on cardiomyocytes, thereby facilitating the activity of the heart. In addition, drugs that reduce blood clotting are necessarily prescribed. It is also very desirable to use drugs that improve the metabolism of cardiomyocytes. The most effective among them is the drug "Thiotriazolin". It is perhaps the only drug whose effectiveness in improving the metabolism of cardiac tissue has been proven as a result of serious medical research.
If edema occurs due to heart failure, this type of treatment will help to quickly overcome the problem.
Inpatient Therapy
In the event that the violation of the cardiovascular system has reached a sufficiently large severity, then medical measures are carried out in stationary conditions. If severe cardiac edema occurs, treatment should not include droppers. The fact is that additional volumes of fluid administered intravenously can further disrupt the activity of the cardiovascular system. As a result of such rash manipulations, the patient may even develop pulmonary edema, and this condition should be treated already in intensive care.
Intravenous drip of drugs is possible only after the swelling of the lower extremities is significantly reduced. In addition, the doctor must evaluate if there is fluid in the lung tissue. Most often, people with this pathology are injected in this way with the so-called potassium-polarizing mixture. This mixture of drugs significantly improves the activity of the cardiovascular system.
As for diuretics, among others, the drug "Furosemide" has received the greatest distribution in stationary conditions. In the hospital, it is usually administered intravenously by bolus. In this case, even before the injection, the doctor assesses the patient's blood pressure level. If it is too low, then the introduction of diuretics should be delayed. In the case when the patient takes antihypertensive drugs, then he simply adjusts the scheme for their use. If the patient is not treated with such drugsuses, then the person has to use drugs that increase the level of blood pressure. Among them, the drug "Prednisolone" is most often used.
How to prevent swelling?
First of all, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner if the first signs of a violation of the cardiovascular system occur. In addition, it is very important to fully comply with the recommendations that were provided to them.
It should also be noted that an excessive amount of incoming sodium contributes to fluid retention in the body. This leads to the appearance of congestion in the lower extremities. In order to prevent the accumulation of large amounts of sodium in the body, excessive consumption of table s alt should be avoided. Doctors and nutritionists advise limiting its amount in the diet to 3 grams per day.
Which diuretic is better?
Many patients among diuretic drugs prefer the drug "Furosemide". This state of affairs is due to the fact that it quickly removes cardiac edema. Symptoms of cardiovascular insufficiency often disappear within the first two days. Unfortunately, such a drug cannot be a panacea for any cardiac edema. The fact is that the constant use of the drug "Furosemide" contributes to the accelerated excretion of potassium and magnesium from the body. As a result, with prolonged use, this medicine can aggravate the course of cardiovascular disease.vascular system.
In the event that the drug "Furosemide" is prescribed for a long time, it is very desirable to combine its intake with the drug "Asparkam". It will help the body replenish its mineral reserves.
Quite demanded diuretic is the drug "Hydrochlorothiazide". This drug has a much less pronounced effect than the drug "Furosemide". Accordingly, it does not cause such a serious loss of mineral substances from the body. As a result, this medicine can be taken almost on an ongoing basis. Cardiac edema under its influence does not go away immediately. A certain effect can be observed in about 3-4 days.
Danger of prolonged swelling
In itself, this phenomenon is not dangerous if it does not persist for a long period of time. If cardiac edema is sufficiently pronounced and persists for 1-2 weeks, then this can lead to serious problems. The fact is that in the event of a serious swelling on the lower extremities, the vessels are squeezed. This is especially true for small-caliber arteries and veins. As a result, the blood supply to peripheral tissues is disrupted. This leads to a deterioration in their nutrition and, as a result, a gradual death. So even trophic ulcers can occur. If nothing is done for a long period of time, then the processes of tissue degenerationmay be even more pronounced. In this case, the solution to the problem often turns out to be only surgical.
What does this swelling look like?
First of all, it should be noted the increase in the volume of the lower extremities. First of all, we are talking about the legs and feet. Moreover, in some cases, very pronounced cardiac edema of the legs is observed. Treatment, if carried out, significantly reduces the volume of the legs, but does not always return it to normal. When pressing on the edematous area, a dent remains on it, which does not go away within 10 seconds.
Different from other edema
It is worth noting that this phenomenon is observed not only in the pathology of the cardiovascular system. Edema can also occur for completely different reasons. As for the lower extremities, they can also appear here due to the pathology of the joints. For example, with rheumatoid arthritis, quite pronounced swelling can occur. The difference here may be that edema of cardiac origin is not accompanied by pain in the small joints of the lower extremities. With rheumatoid arthritis, she worries more in the morning. In addition, with the pathology of the joints on the surface of the edematous area, the temperature of the skin is increased.
Allergic reactions also cause swelling. On the legs, it appears as a result of contact with a plant or the bite of an insect. As a result, the collection of anamnesis is very important. In this case, the symmetry of the occurrence of edema plays an important role. With allergic reactions, it will be observed on that limb,which has been subjected to contact with a plant or an insect bite. Cardiac edema is usually symmetrical. In addition, allergic manifestations are quickly stopped by the introduction of antihistamines. Cardiac edema will not disappear with this treatment.
