HYPEREMIA
and
CONGESTION
Presented By:
Tashfa Noor
Easha
Hafiza Tuba
Rabia
PRESENTED TO : DR. SHEEBA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 INTRODUCTION 04
CLINICAL
SIGNIFICANCES
WORLD WIDE
02 TYPES 05 RATIO
03 COMPARISION
TABLE
06 TREATMENT
INTRODUCTION
What are Hyperemia and Congestion?
Both involve increased blood volume in tissues.
Differ in cause, mechanism, and clinical features.
Important indicators of vascular pathology.
Hyperemia – Definition
Active process
Caused by arteriolar dilation
Leads to increased blood flow
Common in:
Inflammation
Exercise
Affected tissue appears red and warm due to oxygenated blood.
Congestion – Definition
Passive process
Caused by impaired venous outflow
Leads to accumulation of deoxygenated blood
Common in:
Congestive heart failure
Venous obstruction
Affected tissue appears blue-red (cyanotic) and swollen.
Abnormal
accumulation of
blood in
arteriovenous
capillaries bed
causing hyperemia
and passive
congestion
Types of Hyperemia
Physiological Hyperemia
● Occurs as a normal response to increased metabolic
demand or function. It is beneficial and temporary.
○ Exercise, heat, digestion
● Example: Muscles during exercise, Brain during mental
activity, Gastrointestinal tract after eating
Types of Hyperemia
Pathological Hyperemia
Occurs as a result of disease or abnormal physiological
conditions. May lead to tissue damage.
Inflammatory response
Example: Inflammation due to infection or injury
Types of congestion
Acute Congestion
● Cause: Sudden blockage of venous drainage
● Example: Acute pulmonary congestion due to sudden
left-sided heart failure
Types of congestion
Chronic Congestion
Cause: Long-standing obstruction to venous return
Examples:
• Chronic pulmonary congestion → "heart failure cells"
(siderophages)
• Chronic liver congestion → "nutmeg liver"
Comparision Table
Features Hyperemia Congestion
Process Active Passive
Causes Arteriolar dilation Venous obstruction
Blood type Oxygenated Deoxygenated
Appearance Red, warm Blue-Red, swollen
Clinical Examples Inflammation, Heart failure, DVT
exercise
Clinical Significance
• Indicator of Circulatory Problems
Heart failure, venous thrombosis
• Tissue Hypoxia & Damage
Leads to edema, cell death, hemosiderin deposits
• Organ-Specific Impact
Lungs: Pulmonary edema
Liver: Nutmeg liver → Cardiac cirrhosis
Spleen: Congestive splenomegaly
• Promotes Fibrosis
Especially in chronic cases
WORLD-WIDE RATIO
Hyperemia is often
physiological and transient (like
during exercise, digestion, heat
exposure), and is not routinely
recorded in medical statistics.
WORLD-WIDE RATIO
Congestion:
Heart failure (key cause of congestion):
Affects :64 million people globally (WHO,
2023)
Chronic liver disease (e.g., cardiac cirrhosis
from congestion):
Affects :1.5 billion people globally
(WHO/CDC)
Treatment for hyperemia
For Physiological Hyperemia (e.g., exercise,
emotional stimuli):
No treatment needed — it is normal and
reversible.
For Pathological Hyperemia (e.g., inflammation
or infection):
Continue…
Anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., NSAIDs,
corticosteroids)
Antibiotics if infection is present
Rest and ice for localized inflammatory conditions
Treat the underlying disease (e.g., autoimmune
disorders)
Treatment for Congestion
In Heart Failure (most common cause):
• Diuretics (e.g., furosemide) – reduce fluid overload
• ACE inhibitors / ARBs – improve cardiac function
• Beta-blockers – reduce heart workload
• Lifestyle changes – low-sodium diet, fluid restriction
In Local Venous Obstruction (e.g., DVT):
• Anticoagulants (e.g., heparin, warfarin)
• Compression therapy
• Surgical intervention in severe cases
Continue…
In Liver or Lung Congestion (e.g., from chronic right
heart failure):
• Manage the underlying cardiac or pulmonary condition
• Monitor for complications (e.g., fibrosis, edema)
THANK YOU!
