pulmonale

Pulmonale is a Latin-derived adjective used in medical terminology to indicate a relationship to the lungs. In English-language medicine, it appears mainly in loan phrases and eponyms rather than as a standalone descriptive term. The root pulmon- comes from Latin pulmonis, meaning “lung,” with the suffix -alis forming a descriptive adjective meaning “pertaining to.”

One of the best-known terms incorporating pulmonale is cor pulmonale, which describes right-sided heart enlargement and eventual failure caused by primary lung disease or chronic pulmonary hypertension. The concept emphasizes that a pulmonary process imposes an increased pressure load on the right ventricle, leading to maladaptive remodeling.

Other uses of pulmonale appear in phrases such as cardiopulmonale (relating to both heart and lungs) and in historical or multilingual texts to denote pulmonary-origin conditions. In modern clinical practice, more precise language is typically preferred, such as specifying the underlying cause (for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease–associated pulmonary hypertension) rather than relying on the broad label pulmonale.

Overall, pulmonale serves as a traditional descriptor within a broader system of medical terminology. While encountered in older literature and international usage, it is less common in contemporary English prose except in established terms like cor pulmonale.