What condition involves fluid accumulation in the lungs, leading to difficulty in breathing?

The condition that involves fluid accumulation in the lungs, leading to difficulty in breathing, is pulmonary edema. This occurs when excess fluid builds up in the alveoli, the tiny air sacs in the lungs, making it hard for oxygen to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Pulmonary edema is often associated with heart problems, such as congestive heart failure, where the heart is unable to pump efficiently, leading to fluid leakage from the blood vessels into the lung tissue.

In contrast, cardiac arrest primarily refers to the sudden cessation of heart function and does not specifically indicate fluid accumulation in the lungs. Pneumonia is an infection that inflates the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may lead to fluid accumulation, but it is primarily caused by infectious agents. Chronic bronchitis is a long-term inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs, characterized by persistent cough and mucus production, and does not inherently involve fluid accumulation in the lungs. Thus, pulmonary edema is the condition specifically defined by fluid build-up in the lungs, resulting in breathing difficulties.