Step I Why does heart failure cause edema?

[KungFuPanda123]

I'd think that the with less hydrostatic pressure, there'd be enough osmotic pressure to keep much fluid from leaking out of the capillaries (at least on the arterial side). On the venous side, if fluid is leaking out, why isn't it returned back via lymphatics into circulation efficiently? Is the heart's contractions + movement of blood through vessels a type of movement outside of skeletal muscles that helps move lymph and without it, you get edema?

 

[cbrons]

You get increased plasma hydrostatic pressure, not less.

Contrary to what might still be taught in review books, intravascular oncotic pressure is actually irrelevant. If you want to read more about this, here is a good article http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/glycocalyx-in-critical-illness/

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[Beezlebub]

I'd think that the with less hydrostatic pressure, there'd be enough osmotic pressure to keep much fluid from leaking out of the capillaries (at least on the arterial side). On the venous side, if fluid is leaking out, why isn't it returned back via lymphatics into circulation efficiently? Is the heart's contractions + movement of blood through vessels a type of movement outside of skeletal muscles that helps move lymph and without it, you get edema?

Depends on severity and lymphatic drainage in these cases are not compensatory enough to overcome the peripheral/pulm edema.