[Radiologic characteristics of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in the elderly]

The radiologic appearance of atypical cardiogenic pulmonary edema (ACPE) is presented in 10 cases admitted from 1983 to 1985, with age ranges from 74 to 89, and with diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, with myocardial infarction in 50% of them. Clinically they had asthenia, adynamia and anorexia in 80%, cough and weight loss in 50%. All of them had tachycardia, pulmonary rales and 50% pericardial rub. ECG showed in 80% anterior subepicardial ischemia, 60% posteroinferior subepicardial ischemia, 60% bifascicular block, and 50% left anterior fascicular block. Chest films were interpreted at first as pulmonary fibrosis in 90% of the cases with superior lobe involvement in 50%. Heart enlargement was present in 50%. A chronic lung disease was disclosed on clinical and pulmonary physiological grounds. It is concluded that asthenia, adynamia and anorexia were atypical manifestations of heart failure in the elderly. Silent myocardial infarction was observed in half of our patients and it was complicated with pericardial involvement in 50%. Irregular distribution of fluids in pulmonary edema was attributed to anatomic changes in elder lung. These atypical behaviour of pulmonary edema, has been misinterpreted on radiologic basis with pulmonary infection, tumours, metastasis or fibrosis. Those radiologic changes disappeared or improved in 72 hrs. with treatment of left ventricular failure.