Pulmonary encephalopathy

Pulmonary encephalopathy, also known as pulmonary heart-brain syndrome, is brain tissue damage and cerebral circulatory disturbance caused by chronic bronchitis complicated by emphysema, cor pulmonale, and pulmonary functional failure. The pathogenesis is relatively complex, primarily involving carbon dioxide retention and hypoxia due to pulmonary damage, leading to hypercapnia and hypoxemia, which, combined with pulmonary circulatory disturbance and pulmonary hypertension, further induces or aggravates brain tissue damage, resulting in pulmonary encephalopathy. In the early stage of this disease, symptoms such as headache, dizziness, memory decline, listlessness, and reduced work capacity may manifest, followed by varying degrees of impaired consciousness, ranging from somnolence and lethargy in mild cases to coma in severe cases. This is mainly caused by carbon dioxide narcosis due to hypoxia and hypercapnia. Additionally, there may be increased intracranial pressure, papilledema, and various motor disturbances such as asterixis, myoclonus, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Psychiatric symptoms may include agitation, restlessness, increased speech, hallucinations, and delusions.