How long can a person li having been diagnosed with pulmonary edema?

Question

this person was a smoker up until 6 months ago and is the age of 66 and a female.

Answer 1

Pulmonary edema literally means swelling or liquid in the lungs. If not treated aggressively it is fatal. It is more a symptom than a disease entity and is usually a result of heart failure rather than lung problems. It can be chronic but is usually something that happens intermittently and people can live for years with it if it is managed well. Treatment involves diuretics, or drugs to help the body rid excess fluid, and meds to improve the pumping capacity/efficiency of the heart.

Answer 2

Pulmonary edema in somone that age and with the history, would suggest copd rather than just the edema... that is the existing problem for copd patients. There are meds to ease the symptoms .. a nebulizer being the most important. How long they can live is up in the air... I am going to be 74 this year and am living with it. Just make sure they get their flu shot every year and the pneumonia one at least every 3 years.

Answer 3

Pulomnary edema is a symptom of a deeper problem, and yes smoking likely contributed to the problem. If the doctors can ascertain what is causing the pulmonary edema then they may be able to treat it and she will go on much as before. Often it is related to congestive heart failure, in which case, I'm afraid the prognosis is not very good....still there is much doctors can do with this problem, so keep heart and be patient.

Answer 4

It depends on the cause for the pulmonary edema. Talk to her physician about the underlying cause for the problem---it sounds like she has very significant health problems.

Answer 5

It depends on the overall health of the person.