Recent research work conducted by scientists has found a new cause for lung edema - a common lung problem.
"Usually, our lungs pump fluid out of the air space, and it was previously believed that this pump mechanism just stopped when people had lung edema," said Dr. Wolfgang Kuebler, a scientist at St. Michael's Hospital. "But we've found not only do they stop pumping fluid out as they're supposed to do, they've gotten confused and are actually pumping in the reverse direction, bringing fluid into the lungs."
Silicosis
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline free silica dust. It is characterised by nodular pulmonary fibrosis.
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The research was published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Dr. Kuebler said this finding has important implications for the treatment of lung edema, a common symptom of heart disease. Stopping the pumping mechanism, although seemingly counterintuitive, is protective for the lung and important for effective treatment.
![The Lungs - Animation]( "The Lungs - Animation")
The lungs are our organs of respiration. It is within these, that exchange of gases takes place.
For the first time, this explains why Lasix, a commonly prescribed drug, works in treating lung edema - it simply prevents the pumps from allowing fluid into the air spaces. Lasix was previously believed to work exclusively by targeting the kidneys.
"With this information, more effective drugs that target just the lungs, and not the kidneys, can now be developed," said Dr. Kuebler, also a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.
Dr. Kuebler points out that this mechanism of pumping fluid into the air spaces is similar to what happens in the fetal lung. In the womb, the lung works to pump fluids in and only after the baby is born, does that pumping mechanism reverse itself to pump fluid out. "You can actually now interpret lung edema as a regression of the adult lung to a fetal stage," he said.
Source: Eurekalert
The Lungs - Animation
The lungs are our organs of respiration. It is within these, that exchange of gases takes place.
Advertisement
For the first time, this explains why Lasix, a commonly prescribed drug, works in treating lung edema - it simply prevents the pumps from allowing fluid into the air spaces. Lasix was previously believed to work exclusively by targeting the kidneys.
"With this information, more effective drugs that target just the lungs, and not the kidneys, can now be developed," said Dr. Kuebler, also a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.
Dr. Kuebler points out that this mechanism of pumping fluid into the air spaces is similar to what happens in the fetal lung. In the womb, the lung works to pump fluids in and only after the baby is born, does that pumping mechanism reverse itself to pump fluid out. "You can actually now interpret lung edema as a regression of the adult lung to a fetal stage," he said.
Source: Eurekalert
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