Heart Failure and Pulmonary Edema Produced By Certain Neurologic Stimuli

Experimental evidence has indicated that the genesis of acute pulmonary edema due to insufficiency of the left ventricular myocardium is dependent upon pulmonary engorgement and rapid filtration of fluid from the capillaries. It has been possible to demonstrate that significant elevation of arterial blood pressure from noxious stimulation of the central nervous system may be poorly tolerated when the myocardium has been previously damaged, so that acute left ventricular failure has occurred. The resulting massive pulmonary edema clearly followed the hemodynamic changes of severe congestion.