Comorbidities are frequently observed in patients suffering from
pulmonary diseases due to shared risk factors and intricate interactions between various organ systems. This article aims to characterize the effects of selected diseases of the respiratory system on the cardiovascular system and kidneys. Advanced
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (
COPD) often leads to a prognostically unfavorable increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation. In this respect treatment of these patients is primarily aimed at the underlying
pulmonary disease and targeted treatment of the
pulmonary hypertension should only be carried out according to invasive diagnostics and in an individualized manner. So far, the fact that there is a substantial overlap between
COPD and
heart failure with preserved ejection fraction has been completely ignored, which should be considered in the diagnostic procedure.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has several unfavorable effects on the cardiovascular system and has been identified as an independent risk factor for
cardiovascular diseases. The established treatment of OSA with
continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been shown to improve
daytime sleepiness and the quality of life; however, an effect of CPAP on the occurrence of cardiovascular events, especially in asymptomatic patients, has so far not been demonstrated in randomized trials. Peripheral
edema is frequently observed in patients suffering from chronic
hypercapnia, which can be explained by several pathophysiological mechanisms, including pulmonary vasoconstriction and a direct effect of the
hypercapnia on renal blood flow. Apart from the administration of
diuretics, recompensation of such patients always requires treatment of the
hypercapnia by
noninvasive ventilation.