Danielle has a PhD in Natural Resource Sciences and a MSc in Biological Sciences
Cor pulmonale may have a crazy-sounding name (it's Latin, for your information), but it's a condition that's pretty easy to understand. Cor pulmonale is a medical condition where the right ventricle of the heart becomes enlarged due to a disease in either the lungs or the lung's blood vessels, which are called the pulmonary vessels. Sometimes the small pulmonary vessels become damaged or infected, making it harder for blood to flow through them and increasing blood pressure in this area.
The problem is that when blood is blocked from flowing properly, oxygen can't be delivered to where it needs to go. To compensate, the heart will thicken its right ventricle (which pumps blood to the lungs) and expand the chamber so it can hold more blood. As it enlarges, the heart stops pumping efficiently, so it tries to work overtime, eventually failing.
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The most common cause is pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the lung's blood vessels which causes low blood oxygen for an extended period of time. However, it may also be caused by blood clots in the lungs, chronic diseases like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), damage or scarring to the lung tissues, sleep apnea caused by airway inflammation, or cystic fibrosis. A rarer cause is kyphoscoliosis, which is a severe curvature of the upper spine.
If someone has cul pulmonale, there may not be any initial symptoms at all. However, when symptoms appear, they're usually characterized by difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, feeling fatigued, experiencing an elevated heart rate, and feeling light-headed. As the condition progresses, symptoms can include chest pains, swelling (particularly in the legs and feet), fainting, coughing, wheezing, or cyanosis, where parts of the skin appear blue in color.
Treating cor pulmonale requires treating the underlying condition. If pulmonary hypertension is the cause, medication used to lower blood pressure might help. Diuretics can be used to remove extra fluids and salt from the body, which decreases the amount of work the heart needs to do. Blood thinners can be used to prevent clot from forming, especially in the small vessels in the lungs, an oxygen therapy can be used to ensure the patient is receiving enough oxygen.
In very severe cases, it may be necessary to perform a surgical heart or lung transplant.
Preventing cor pulmonale requires taking care of the body through moderate exercise and a healthy diet. If a person is at risk for getting cor pulmonale, they should avoid strenuous activity and high altitudes, avoid smoking, get a flu vaccine each year, and women should avoid getting pregnant.
Cor pulmonale is a condition where the heart eventually fails because it's working too hard on pumping blood to the lungs. The right ventricle enlarges to compensate to try to get more oxygen into the blood, but this can't be sustained for long periods of time. Pulmonary hypertension is the leading cause of cor pulmonale, though it can also be caused by chronic diseases, blood clots, trauma to lung tissues, sleep apnea, or cystic fibrosis. Initial symptoms include light-headedness, shortness of breath, fatigue, and rapid heart rate and can turn into chest pains, fainting, coughing/wheezing, and swelling as the condition progresses. Treating cor pulmonale requires treating the underlying cause, and medications, diuretics, oxygen therapy, and surgery are all possible options.
Medical Disclaimer: The information on this site is for your information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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Human Anatomy & Physiology: Help and Review20 chapters | 739 lessons
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