Although neurogenic pulmonary edema may occur very rarely, it is a focus of interest for the clinicians as well as researchers. According to reports it has been reported that neurogenic pulmonary edema develops within a few hours after a neurogenic insult. However it is difficult to identify this condition as the diagnosis will include exclusion other causes of pulmonary edema.
When a patient is showing signs of neurogenic pulmonary edema, he will be having very high levels of interstitial and alveolar fluid. There are various factors that may be responsible for this form of pulmonary edema. Lesions in the hypothalamus are known to stimulate this type of edema in the lungs. Other factors include vasomotor centers of the medulla and high levels of intracranial pressure may lead to activation of the sympathetic system that causes the neurogenic edema in lungs.
It is difficult to study the statistics of the incidence of this disease, as it is difficult to diagnose the disease. There are some major causes that have been related to this type of pulmonary edema. They include subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage, epileptic seizures and head injury. Other minor causes include multiple sclerosis v various brain tumors, air embolism and electro conclusive therapy are responsible for neurogenic pulmonary edema.