Various clinical studies reveal that unilateral pulmonary edema affects one side of the lungs. The causative factors for unilateral pulmonary edema include an alteration of the delicate balance at the alveolar capillary interface. It was found that there was a low level of pulmonary capillary perfusion in one side of the lungs and this preceded the condition of unilateral pulmonary edema.
The unilateral pulmonary edema is observed in patients ho are having disease in other lung like COPD. It causes aspiration and is postural. There is a rapid expansion of PTX in the unilateral pulmonary edema. This type of pulmonary edema is very rare and it cannot be easily diagnosed. In case of acute rheumatic fever, the disease is often mistaken for pneumonia. Thus with the help of the diagnosis of unilateral pulmonary edema it will be possible to detect and treat the infection in the early stages itself.
In this form of edema there is excessive fluid accumulation in the interstitial spaces of one side of the lungs. In this condition the patient prefers to sleep one side. In acute cases the patient will be showing serious symptoms like shortness of breath and suffocation. The patient requires immediate medical attention and he must be shifted to the emergency ward.