Hypovolemia and hypotension complicating management of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

After the acute onset of heart failure and in the absence of acute myocardial infarction, plasma volume may occasionally be depleted to the extent that the patient presents with clinical signs of circulatory shock. In five patients, the acute onset of clinical and radiographic signs of cardiogenic pulmonary edema were associated with reduction in arterial blood pressure and cardiac output. The pulmonary arterial wedge pressure was within normal limits but a reduction in plasma volume was demonstrated, which is best explained by the rapid translocation of plasma water that represented pulmonary (and most likely also peripheral) edema fluid. The infusion of 5 percent albumin solution significantly increased cardiac output, mean arterial pressure and cardiac work, reversed lactic acidosis, enhanced furosemide-induced diuresis and was followed by a decrease in both clinical and radiographic signs of pulmonary edema. These observations confirm that volume expansion may constitute appropriate treatment for some patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema who may present with hypotension and who are unresponsive to conventional therapy.