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Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Acute (ARDS)

Marianna G Weaver, DO, MA and sally suliman, MD Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is defined as the onset of acute hypoxemia within 7 days of a known clinical insult, or new or worsening respiratory symptoms with bilatera...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Precipitating event (see “Etiology and Pathophysiology”) followed by abrupt onset of respiratory distress and hypoxemia. 

PHYSICAL EXAM

  • Tachypnea and tachycardia during the first 12 to ...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Identify and treat the cause of ARDS.

  • Lung protective ventilation and conservative fluid therapy

  • Using tidal volumes of 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight with a plateau pressure...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Driving pressure and static lung compliance are important measures of lung mechanics.

  • Daily labs are needed until the patient is no longer critic...

REFERENCES

1
Thompson  BT, Chambers  RC, Liu  KD. Acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med.  2017;377(6):562–572. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1608077. [View Abstract on Ovid...

ADDITIONAL READING

Matthay  MA, McAuley  DF, Ware  LB. Clinical trials in acute respiratory distress syndrome: challenges and opportunities. Lancet Respir Med.  2017;5(6):524...

SEE ALSO

http://www.ardsnet.org/ 

CODES

ICD10

J80 Acute respiratory distress syndrome 

SNOMED

67782005 Adult respiratory distress syndrome (disorder) 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • ARDS is the acute onset of hypoxemia secondary to alveolar injury with a PaO2/FiO≤300 mmHg and bilateral infiltrates on chest x-ray.

  • Treatment includes identifying and treating the u...

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