Pulmonary is an adjective derived from the Latin pulmo (lung), meaning relating to the lungs. In medical terminology, it describes structures, conditions, and processes involving the lungs and the pulmonary circulation: the circuit by which blood travels from the right heart to the lungs to be oxygenated, and back to the left heart.
Key pulmonary structures include the pulmonary arteries (which carry deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs), the pulmonary veins (which return oxygenated blood to the left atrium), the pulmonary alveoli (the tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs), and the pulmonary valve (which prevents backflow from the pulmonary artery into the right ventricle). The pulmonary circulation operates at much lower pressures than the systemic circulation, with normal pulmonary artery pressures of around 25/10 mmHg compared with systemic pressures of 120/80 mmHg.
Common conditions described as pulmonary include pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the pulmonary arteries, which can cause sudden collapse and cardiac arrest), pulmonary hypertension (abnormally high pressure in the pulmonary circulation), pulmonary oedema (fluid accumulating in the lungs, most commonly due to heart failure), and pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lung tissue).
After cardiac arrest, pulmonary management is a central part of intensive care. Mechanical ventilation is used to maintain adequate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and ventilator settings must balance effective oxygenation against the risk of ventilator-induced lung injury. Pulmonary complications such as aspiration pneumonia, atelectasis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are common during post-arrest critical care.
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