Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

• • Hypoxemia

  • Hypercarbia

  • Pulmonary edema (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure < 18 mm Hg)

  • Absence of other causes

Epidemiology

• • Often follows shock/trauma/sepsis

Symptoms and Signs

• • Hypoxemia

  • Hypercarbia

Imaging Findings

• • Diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates

• • Typically follows shock and either trauma or sepsis

  • ARDS typically develops 24 h after the resuscitation from the initial insult

  • Diagnosis may be complicated by the presence of other potential causes of hypoxemia

• • ABG measurements

  • Chest films

• • Ventilator management (positive end-expiratory pressure, inspiratory reserve volume)

  • Diuresis

  • Treatment of inciting cause

  • Transfusion

  • Proning

Treatment Monitoring

• • Invasive monitoring (pulmonary artery catheter)

  • Serial arterial blood gas measurements

Prognosis

• • Determined by etiology

References