CVP and GI Pathology Exam 2 Practice 2026 - Free Pathology Practice Questions and Study Guide

Left-sided heart failure backs up pressure into the pulmonary circulation. When the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively, left atrial and pulmonary venous pressures rise, increasing hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary capillaries. Fluid then transudates into the interstitium and alveoli, producing pulmonary congestion and edema. This pattern is the classic signature of left-sided failure. Right-sided failure, in contrast, causes systemic venous congestion (peripheral edema, hepatomegaly, ascites) rather than pulmonary edema. A ventricular septal defect can lead to volume overload and eventual heart failure, but it isn’t the defining cause of pulmonary edema.