Pulmonary edema of acute overdose reaction and near-drowning: some radiographic and physiologic comparisons.

Both acute overdose reaction and near-drowning may present as pulmonary edema. With both, the heart is usually not enlarged and clearing occurs within 48 hours, unless complicated by infection or aspiration. In near-drowning there is metabolic acidosis, whereas in acute overdose reaction there is combined respiratory and metabolic acidosis.