ARDS
Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome
What is ARDS?
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is breathing
failure that can occur in critically ill persons with underlying illnesses. It
is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a life-threatening condition that occurs when there is
severe fluid buildup in both lungs. The fluid buildup prevents the lungs from
working properly—that is, allowing the transfer of oxygen from air into the body
and carbon dioxide out of the body into the air.
In ARDS, the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the lungs or the air sacs
(alveoli
(al-VEE-uhl-eye)) are damaged because of an infection, injury, blood
loss, or inhalation injury. Fluid leaks from the blood vessels into air sacs of
the lungs. While some air sacs fill with fluid, others collapse. When the air
sacs collapse or fill up with fluid, the lungs can no longer fill properly with
air and the lungs become stiff. Without air entering the lungs properly, the
amount of oxygen in the blood drops. When this happens, the person with ARDS
must be given extra oxygen and may need the help of a breathing machine.
Breathing failure can occur very quickly after the condition begins. It may
take only 1 or 2 days for fluid to build up. The process that causes ARDS may
continue for weeks. If scarring occurs, this will make it harder for the lungs
to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
In the past, only about 4 out of 10 people who developed ARDS survived. But
today, with good care in a hospital's intensive or critical care unit, many
people (about 7 out of 10) with ARDS survive. Although many people who survive
ARDS make a full recovery, some survivors have lasting damage to their lungs.
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