What condition is characterized by the pooling of fluid in the lungs?

The condition characterized by the pooling of fluid in the lungs is pulmonary edema. This occurs when barriers in the lungs that normally prevent fluid from leaking into the alveoli become compromised, leading to an accumulation of fluid in the lung tissue and air spaces. This excess fluid hinders gas exchange, making it difficult for oxygen to enter the bloodstream and for carbon dioxide to be expelled. Symptoms of pulmonary edema often include shortness of breath, a feeling of suffocation, and coughing up pink, frothy sputum.

While pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, and chronic bronchitis can also affect the lungs, they do so in different ways. Pulmonary embolism refers to a blockage of a pulmonary artery, often by a blood clot, which does not primarily involve fluid accumulation. Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation of the lungs and can result in fluid buildup, but it is not the defining characteristic of the condition. Chronic bronchitis primarily involves inflammation and excessive mucus production in the airways, rather than fluid pooling in the alveoli. Therefore, pulmonary edema is distinctly identified by the accumulation of fluid in the lungs.