Overview
Immersion pulmonary edema (IPE) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the sudden onset of dyspnea and hypoxemia in individuals exposed to cold water immersion, often without signs of cardiac pathology 1.Diagnosis
Clinical presentation includes acute onset of dyspnea, cough, frothy sputum, and hypoxemia 1.
Chest imaging may reveal bilateral pulmonary infiltrates 1.
Echocardiography typically shows normal cardiac function, distinguishing IPE from cardiogenic pulmonary edema 1.
Grading systems for severity are not well-defined in the provided abstracts 1.Management
Immediate removal from the water and supportive oxygenation are critical 1.
Mechanical ventilation may be required in severe cases 1.
Diuretics are generally not indicated as IPE is not primarily fluid overload 1.
Close monitoring in an intensive care setting is advised for patients with severe symptoms 1.Special Populations
No specific data provided in the abstracts regarding pregnancy, pediatrics, elderly, or comorbidities 12.Key Recommendations
Rapid extrication from cold water and provision of supplemental oxygen (Evidence: Expert opinion) 1
Utilize mechanical ventilation if hypoxemia is severe and refractory to supplemental oxygen (Evidence: Expert opinion) 1
Avoid diuretic therapy as IPE is not typically fluid overload-related (Evidence: Expert opinion) 1References
1 Dobson JL. Effect of uniform versus expanding retrieval practice on the recall of physiology information. Advances in physiology education 2012. link
2 Kordas M, Lajovic J. Personal computers in teaching quantitative aspects in undergraduate physiology. Medical education 1987. link