Hyperaemia – Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Overview

Cardiologists in Darbhanga describe hyperaemia as an excess of blood in the blood vessels of a specific part of the body. The build-up of blood may present as a red, warm, painful, swollen area, along with loss of function. This article discusses the types, causes, symptoms and treatment with inputs from a leading heart specialist in Darbhanga, one of the top cardiologist in India.

Types

There are two types of hyperaemia: Active and Passive. These are further divided into local hyperaemia (affecting a specific area) or general hyperaemia (affecting a whole system in the body). Hyperaemia can also be acute (lasting a short time), or chronic (persisting over a long time). We shall discuss active and passive hyperaemia.

1. Active Hyperaemia

Active hyperaemia is a physiological response to something happening in the body, and is an acute form of hyperaemia. Further two sub-types of active hyperaemia exist, which are:

• Acute general active hyperaemia

Occurs when there is increased blood flow throughout the body.

• Acute local active hyperaemia

Occurs when there is an increased amount of blood in a local area such as the leg, stomach, or lung. This is the most common form of hyperaemia.

2. Passive Hyperaemia

Passive hyperaemia can be either active or passive. It is also known as congestion. Chronic passive hyperaemia usually occurs in the organ systems of the lung, liver, and lower extremities. It may also be localized to one area. However, if the blood flow in the heart is being impeded, then it will affect the whole system.This occurs when there is a decreased outflow out of the blood vessels.

Causes

The causes of hyperaemia depend on its type, according to heart experts at the super-speciality hospital in Darbhanga. Causes of active hyperaemia include:

• Exercise
• Inflammation
• Menopausal flush
• Diseases that make the heart beat rapidly
• Renal diseases that cause fluid retention

Causes of passive hyperaemia include:

• Heart failure
• Mitral stenosis, a type of heart disease
• A blockage in a blood vessel
• A kink in a vein
• Pneumonia
• Thrombosis

Symptoms

Symptoms of hyperaemia too, depend on its type. People affected with active hyperaemia usually experience the following symptoms:

• The affected area is bright red in colour
• The affected area is warmer than usual to touch
• Swelling in the affected area
• Easily felt pulse in the affected area

People affected with passive hyperaemia usually experience the following symptoms:

• Dark blue or red tinge in the affected area
• Swollen affected area
• Affected area is cooler than usual to touch
• In chronic cases, the affected area can be brown in colour

Treatment

Active hyperaemia does not typically need to be treated, as it is a physiological response to activities such as physical exercise and will improve on its own.Passive hyperaemia, however, is caused by other conditions that will need to be treated. Cardiologists usually prescribe medications such as beta-blockers to lower blood pressure, digoxin to strengthen the heartbeat and blood thinners.