I am on my hospital bed with Anasarca

I have been sick and been on my hospital bed for some months now. My body has swollen up severely and doctors said it is Anasarca. Please provide information for me and the reading public about this problem.

B N M.

Thanks for your question, Anasarca is a “medical term referred to a person who experiences generalized edema (body swelling). This happens because there is an excess fluid build-up in the tissues. Anasarca is different from slight swelling or edema that occurs mostly in the feet. In Anasarca, the person looks like bloating and when the person is pinched, the skin will not go back to its normal condition right away. Anasarca is not a disease itself but it is a symptom of an underlying condition like malnutrition or sometimes protein deficiency. Anasarca is very common in patients with heart failure and kidney failure.”

Heart problems and renal failure are one of the common diseases that people experience worldwide. Edema and even Anasarca occur in patients with kidney failure because the kidney cannot function well thus water and other toxins will be retained in the body.

On the other hand, for patients with heart failure, there is a poor cardiac function so there is lesser blood volume that is pumped by the heart to be delivered in the other parts of the body. As a result, the kidney will then sense that there is a decreased blood volume in the body. To compensate for that problem, the kidney will retain salt and water thus, edema happens.

Salt intake also affects the body thus anasarca occurs. In a normal person, the salt is well-regulated and it is excreted in the body through urine. So when the patient has heart failure or kidney failure, the amount of salt should be limited to avoid anasarca.

Symptoms

Anasarca happens because there is an underlying problem. For patients with kidney failure, they will also experience: 1. Nausea and vomiting 2. Anemia 3. Loss of appetite and cramps 4. No urine output and swelling of the feet and ankle

5. Body weakness and shortness of breath

For patients with congestive heart failure aside from Anasarca, symptoms include:

1. Inability to sleep at night unless sitting upright. 2. Shortness of breath 3. Body weakness and decreased appetite. 4. Abdominal pain. Examples of causes of anasarca There are a number of causes. The conditions or diseases include: 1. Hookworms or ancylostomiasis 2. Liver failure 3. Heart failure 4. Kidney failure 5. Pre-eclampsia 6. Severe malnutrition protein deficiency Anasarca treatment When a patient has anasarca, the physician will ask for a medical history and do physical exams to determine the cause of anasarca. Other diagnostic exams will be taking blood samples to check for some chemicals .Once anasarca and the underlying problem is diagnosed, appropriate measures will be made to treat the problem: Medications 1. Drugs that take care of excess water to be excreted in the body through urination.

2. Home remedies and diets and increase protein intake.

3. Eating a high fiber diet can also be a remedy for edema.

4. Exercise is also required and it is important to avoid taking alcohol.

5. Salt intake should be lessened because it increases the incidence of water retention in the body. However, since salt is essential to add flavor in the foods, they can use lemon as a substitute instead.

6. When resting at home, keep the feet elevated to increase venous return and give relief for the patients with edema.

7. Limit fluid intake- this is important for patients with chronic renal failure and congestive heart failure, excessive fluid intake can not only cause edema but it can also lead to breathing difficulty. Treating the underlying conditions It is very important to address the disease or conditions of the patient because further neglect can lead to death. For patients with renal failure, aside from the medications, they would also be submitted for dialysis either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis or kidney transplant as the case may be. For patients with congestive heart failure, medications are also required and it needs to be taken seriously. and