Pulmonary Heart

Pulmonary heart

Cor pulmonale is hypertrophy of the right ventricle of the heart that occurs when the lungs are damaged and is not associated with heart disease. Diseases leading to hypertrophy of the right heart are divided into 3 groups: diseases that disrupt the movement of air in the bronchi and alveoli (chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, sarcoidosis); diseases that impair the movement of a difficult cell (scoliosis, kyphosis, poliomyelitis); diseases affecting the pulmonary vessels (periarteritis nodosa, pulmonary embolism, compression of the pulmonary artery trunk).

According to the rate of development of cor pulmonale, the process can be acute or chronic. Acute cor pulmonale develops within a few days as a result of pulmonary embolism or an attack of bronchial asthma; the development of chronic cor pulmonale is associated with long-term lung diseases.

Symptoms of cor pulmonale are sometimes difficult to identify, since they are superimposed by signs of the underlying disease. Initially, the patient complains of shortness of breath during physical activity, and sometimes there may be pain in the heart area that is not relieved by nitroglycerin. As the disease progresses, a cough appears, blood-streaked sputum is produced, and fainting occurs. The skin of the fingers becomes bluish, and they themselves take on the appearance of “drumsticks.” With a significant decrease in the contractility of the right ventricle, swelling of the neck veins occurs and swelling appears in the legs. When listening, an increase in the second heart sound on the pulmonary trunk is determined.

Treatment:

1. Elimination of the primary disease
2. Use of nifediline, isradipine, enalapril
3. Oxygen therapy

Enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart in pulmonary diseases requires timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent heart failure.