Delayed resolution of pulmonary oedema after cocaine/heroin abuse.
Pulmonary oedema lasting six days occurred in a 68 year old man after sniffing cocaine. He also had evidence of parenteral self-administration of heroin. Pulmonary microvascular filtration pressure and permeability were normal. Delayed resolution of the pulmonary oedema may have been caused by a cocaine-induced impairment of sodium and thus fluid transport across alveolar epithelium. Recognition may be important, since lowering filtration pressure with diuretics may not hasten resolution of oedema.
Medical Intensive Care Unit, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
P G
PG
Raijmakers
A B
AB
Groeneveld
M C
MC
de Groot
G J
GJ
Teule
L G
LG
Thijs
D000368:Aged; D003042:Cocaine; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors
D003932:Heroin; D003042:Cocaine