Der Internist
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Comorbidities are frequently observed in patients suffering from pulmonary diseases due to shared risk factors and intricate interactions between various organ systems. This article aims to characterize the effects of selected diseases of the respiratory system on the cardiovascular system and kidneys. Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often leads to a prognostically unfavorable increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation. ⋯ The established treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been shown to improve daytime sleepiness and the quality of life; however, an effect of CPAP on the occurrence of cardiovascular events, especially in asymptomatic patients, has so far not been demonstrated in randomized trials. Peripheral edema is frequently observed in patients suffering from chronic hypercapnia, which can be explained by several pathophysiological mechanisms, including pulmonary vasoconstriction and a direct effect of the hypercapnia on renal blood flow. Apart from the administration of diuretics, recompensation of such patients always requires treatment of the hypercapnia by noninvasive ventilation.