Acute pulmonary edema and hyperosmolality: a clinical study

Patients in the coronary care unit with acute pulmonary edema, heart failure, and other organic heart disease were studied. Blood and urine samples were taken on admission prior to any treatment and later at prescribed intervals. All the patients with APE were found to have elevated plasma osmolalities and hyperglycemia on admission which decreased with treatment. This was in contrast to the other two groups excluding those factors such as ethyl alcohol and diabetes which can raise plasma osmolality or blood glucose. A discussion of this mild hyperosmolal state in APE follows including possible causes as well as cellular effects of hyperosmolality on humans.