Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

  >   Rahul's Noteblog   >   Notes on Pulmonology   >   Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

What is ARDS?

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), also known as non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, develops in the setting of sepsis, pneumonia, aspiration, trauma, burns, and/or toxic ingestions. Alcoholism further increases the risk of ARDS.

Pathophysiology of ARDS:

The pathophysiology of ARDS involves the release of inflammatory mediators as a result of local or distant tissue injury. These mediators cause alveolar damage, hence, causing leakage of proteinaceous material into the alveoli.

Clinical Findings:

Clinical findings include hypoventilation, tachypnea, tachycardia, fever, and dyspnea.

ARDS Lab Tests:

Arterial blood gas reveals hypoxemia and chest x ray reveals bilateral alveolar infiltrates. Furthermore, the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure is less than 18 mm Hg (which is the normal right atrial pressure), and PaO2/FiO2 ratio is less than 200.

ARDS vs Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema:

Note that cardiogenic pulmonary edema is clinically similar to ARDS, however, the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in cardiogenic edema is greater than 18 mm Hg.

ARDS Therapy:

Mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP). PEEP levels up to 15 may be required to improve oxygenation.

Additional Reading:

Basic Pulmonology

1. Lung Mechanics
2. Alveolar-Blood Gas Exchange
3. Gas Transport and Regulation of Respiration
4. Four Causes of Hypoxemia
5. Control of Respiration
6. Systemic vs Pulmonary Circulation FAQ
7. Principles of Gas Exchange in Lungs
8. Hypoxia, Hypoxemia & Hemoglobin-Oxygen Saturation Curve
9. FAQ on Mechanics of Breathing
10. FAQ on Control of Breathing
11. Criteria for Transudate Pleural Effusion
12. Light's Criteria for Exudate Pleural Effusion
13. Notes on Lung Sounds
14. Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
15. Management of Acute Deep Venous Thrombosis
16. Notes on Asthma Treatment

Pulmonology Videos

1. Video of Pulmonology Examination in a Clinical Setting

Related Topics

1. Histology of the Respiratory System
2. Upper and Lower Respiratory Disorders
3. Pulmonary Examination for Internal Medicine

Medical Images

Useful Medical Images & Diagrams (link opens in a new window)

Random Pages:

Why I Support Mercy Killing Review of Delta Roma Imperiale Fountain Pen
Video of me playing Yanni`s "Nightingale" Notes on Gastrointestinal System
Notes on Lower Limb Notes on Enterococcus
Notes on Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism Notes on Descriptive Statistics
Significance of Measuring Albumin while with Calcium Levels Notes on Hypothalamic-pituitary system
Notes on Basic Gastrointestinal Physiology Corporate Failure: The Enron Case
Pictures of old Kuwaiti Dinars What is an ELEK`s Test?
Why did I decide to become a doctor? Medical School Admissions Essay Video: Titanic Piano Theme: The Portrait
Corporate Failure: The Enron Case My Experience during the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait
USMLE Blood Lab Values Regulation of Heart Rate by Autonomic Nervous System
Images of Antibodies Video of me playing Titanic Piano Theme: The Portrait
Notes on Renal/Urinary System Differentiation and Anatomy of a Blastocyst
Notes on Cell Components Notes on Nervous Tissue
Voices from Hell: My Experience in Mussoorie, India Video of Cardiology Examination in a Clinical Setting

Please Do Not Reproduce This Page

This page is written by Rahul Gladwin. Please do not duplicate the contents of this page in whole or part, in any form, without prior written permission.