Oedema

Oedema is the abnormal build-up of fluid in the body’s tissues, producing the swelling once commonly called dropsy. It arises when circulation, kidney, or liver failure, or severe malnutrition, upsets the balance of fluid between blood and tissue. Doctors may prescribe diuretic drugs that make patients pass more urine to relieve it, and allergic reactions can produce localized swelling of the same kind. In nutrition and food-security programs, oedematous malnutrition, the swollen bellies of kwashiorkor, is a clinical flag for severe protein deficiency, guiding the formulation of therapeutic and supplementary foods designed to reverse it.