2. ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS
SYNDROME (ARDS)
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome was first described in 1967 by
Ashbaugh and colleagues.
• ARDS is also referred with variety of terms like
• Stiff Lung
• Shock lung
• Wet lung
• Post traumatic lung
• Adult respiratory distress syndrome
• Adult hyaline membrane disease
• Capillary leak syndrome &
• Congestive atelectasis.
2Mrs. SOUMYA SUBRAMANI, M.Sc.(N)
3. DEFINITION
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a
sudden and progressive form of acute
respiratory failure in which the alveolar
capillary membrane becomes damaged and
more permeable to intravascular fluid resulting
in severe dyspnea, hypoxemia and diffuse
pulmonary infiltrates.
3Mrs. SOUMYA SUBRAMANI, M.Sc.(N)
4. ETIOLOGY & RISK FACTORS
• Direct Lung Injury
– Common causes
• Aspiration of gastric contents or other substances.
• Viral/bacterial pneumonia
– Less Common causes
• Chest trauma
• Embolism: fat, air, amniotic fluid
• Inhalation of toxic substances
• Near-drowning
• O2 toxicity
• Radiation pneumonitis
4Mrs. SOUMYA SUBRAMANI, M.Sc.(N)
5. ETIOLOGY & RISK FACTORS contd…….
• Indirect Lung Injury
– Common causes
• Sepsis
• Severe traumatic injury
– Less common causes
• Acute pancreatitis
• Anaphylaxis
• Prolonged Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Multiple blood transfusions
• Narcotic drug overdose (e.g., heroin)
• Nonpulmonary systemic diseases
• Severe head injury
• Shock
• Massive blood transfusion.
5Mrs. SOUMYA SUBRAMANI, M.Sc.(N)
13. MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
• Persons with ARDS are hospitalized and require
treatment in an intensive care unit.
• No specific therapy for ARDS exists.
• Supportive measures :
– Supplemental oxygen
– Mechanical ventilation
– Positioning strategies
• Turn the patient from supine to prone.
• Another position is lateral rotation therapy
• Fluid therapy
13Mrs. SOUMYA SUBRAMANI, M.Sc.(N)