Pleural Effusion as a Side Effect of Vasotec

There are two forms of pleural effusion, ace inhibitors such as Vasotec are known to cause "exudative" pleural effusion, which is associated with leaky blood vessels. This condition can be caused by certain medications such as some hypertensive drugs known as ace inhibitors such as Vasotec, along with other medications used in the treatment of kidney disease, viral infections and arthritis.

The other form of pleural effusion is called "transudative" and is caused by left ventricle failure in the heart commonly associated with complications after surgery, cirrhosis of the liver, pulmonary embolism and many other medical disorders.

Many ace inhibitors can cause respiratory side effects such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain and compression of the lungs. These side effects can be all associated with the medical condition known as pleural effusion.

Pleural effusion is caused by fluid building up in the space between the lungs and the chest wall, which also is known as the pleural cavity. Normally the pleural cavity secretes only a small amount of fluid to reduce friction between the chest wall and the lungs, however there are a number of medical conditions and medications such as Vasotec an ace inhibitor, which can cause an increase of fluid resulting in severe symptoms such as coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Pleural effusion is commonly treated by removal of the excess fluid called pleurodesis. In some cases, the excess fluid retention can be successfully treated with diuretics.

Hypertensive medications such as Vasotec are called ace inhibitors and are given to lower blood pressure, however they cause the kidneys to release "renin", which is an enzyme. The renin then splits the angiotensin into two parts, one-part signals the adrenal glands to release aldosterone, which is a hormone. Aldosterone then causes the kidneys to retain sodium and release potassium. Retention of water is caused then by the sodium retention, which can in most instances cause mild to severe respiratory side effects and conditions such as pleural effusion.

The increased fluid between the wall and the lungs will eventually build up and cause breathing problems because the lungs are compressed by the fluid and unable to inflate properly. The most common treatment for this medical emergency is immediate drainage of the excess fluid by way of inserting a chest tube. A chest tube is inserted into the pleural space between the patient's ribs, usually a light sedative is given or some form of pain medication. The underlying tissue and skin is then anesthetized and an incision is made until the pleural space is entered. The chest tube is approximately the size of a dime in diameter and is secured in place and attached to a suctioning device to help facilitate drainage of the fluid. Fluid retention treatment is then implemented to insure that the fluid does not continue to rebuild before the tube is removed.

References for this article include:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/807375-treatment

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000086.htm

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/pleural_effusion/ts_overview.aspx