Decreased Cardiac output and edema.

[antonio1194]

How does decreased cardiac output cause edema? would it be because of the backflow of fluid into the lungs and then eventually into the peripheral tissues?

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

How does decreased cardiac output cause edema? would it be because of the backflow of fluid into the lungs and then eventually into the peripheral tissues?

Pretty much. Decreased cardiac output results from inability of the heart to pump. If it's the right ventricle, then blood backs into the liver, spleen, and lower extremities etc.; if it's the left ventricle, blood backs into the lungs causing pulmonary edema.

[Zyprexa_Ho]

The most common cause of right sided heart failure is left sided failure. the left side doesn't remove enough volume from the lungs which causes the right side to have to contract against higher and higher pressure in the lungs. Increased pressure leads to decreased volume, so less volume can be expelled from the right ventricle causing fluid buildup in the extremities (less volume moved by the right ventricle)