Review article

Toxic lung edema and vascular permeability changes

Radovan Pleština ; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada JAZU u Zagrebu

Abstract

This article deals with the lung edema of chemical origin only. Its purpose is to present the subject in the simplest possible way in the context of the present knowledge of the mechanism of lung edema formation. Regardless of how important they might be the data which have no proper connection with a foreign chemical compound as a cause of edema are completely ignored. In the first of two parts of the review some relevant details concerning mammalian lung structure and function are presented. Since an increase in vascular permeability is a regular finding in the edema of chemical origin, vascular permeability changes are reviewed in more details. For the better understanding of this phenomenon as well as of the physiopathology of lung edema as such, the structure of lung vascular bed and the role of lymphatics are also discussed. In the second part, the lung edema caused by naturally occurring toxins such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids, furanoterpens or bacterial toxins, is described. A number of cases of human accidental poisoning (edematous gases, narcotics, drugs or pesticides) accompanied with lung edema are reviewed. Special attention has been paid to the experimental lung edema. Edemogeneous properties of ANTU, adrenaline, ammonium salts, aloxan or turpentine, are discussed in more details.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

167996

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/167996

Publication date:

25.6.1974.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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