Final answer:
The symptoms consist of shortness of breath and possible chest pain due to fluid accumulation in the lungs and low oxygen levels. High blood pressure and rapid heartbeat might be present, but are not the primary indicators. A normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure suggests a non-congestive heart failure etiology for the pulmonary edema.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symptoms of hypoxemia, which is a lower-than-normal level of oxygen in the blood, and pulmonary edema with normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, include difficulties such as shortness of breath and potential chest pain. Pulmonary edema is characterized by excess fluid in the air sacs of the lungs. This condition can be life-threatening as it impairs gas exchange in the lungs. Rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure can also be symptoms but are not as directly associated with hypoxemia and pulmonary edema under these conditions. Fluid accumulation in the lungs and low oxygen levels are indeed indicative of the aforementioned conditions, which may lead to increased difficulty with breathing and decreased oxygenation of the blood.
Typically, in pulmonary edema resulting from heart failure, the left ventricle is unable to pump sufficient blood into the systemic circulation, causing blood to get 'backed up' in the pulmonary circulation, increasing pressures and leading to fluid leakage into lung tissues. However, a normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure indicates that the left atrial pressure, and thus the pressure within the pulmonary capillaries, is not elevated, suggesting a different etiology than congestive heart failure for the pulmonary edema. Conditions like high-altitude pulmonary edema, certain medications, or acute respiratory distress syndrome can cause edema without an increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.