Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is acute respiratory distress syndrome? Acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, is a sudden and very serious illness that affects your lungs. The lungs are two hollow organs in your chest that stretch like a balloon when you breathe in, filling with air. The lungs connect to the bronchial tubes or airways which bring air into the lungs.

ARDS occurs when the lungs become swollen and filled with fluid. The lung fluid causes severe shortness of breath and may lead to respiratory failure. Respiratory failure means you cannot breathe well enough to get oxygen to the cells of your body. A ventilator, or breathing machine, may be needed to help you breathe. ARDS is an emergency and immediate treatment is needed.

What causes ARDS? It is not known why some people are at a higher risk of getting ARDS. Sepsis, which is an infection of the blood, is the most common cause of ARDS. Other factors that may cause ARDS include the following:

• A severe bruising of the lungs. This usually occurs after a hard blow to the chest.
  
  
• A reaction to nitrofurantoin, a medicine used to treat a urine infection. An overdose of morphine, methadone, or heroin may also cause ARDS.
  
  
• Inhaling vomited food or liquids or harmful or poisonous gases, such as chlorine.
  
  
• Having a near drowning experience in which water has gotten into the lungs.
  
  
• Severe bleeding for which a blood transfusion is needed.
  
  
• Other illnesses, such as pneumonia and acute pancreatitis.

• Troubled or labored breathing and shortness of breath.
  
  
• Fast heartbeat.
  
  
• Skin and nails may appear pale or blue-colored or skin may feel cold.
  
  
• Crackles, wheezing, and bubbly sounds that are heard when caregivers listen to your lungs with a stethoscope.

• Blood gases: This test is also called an arterial blood gas or ABG test. Blood is taken from an artery (blood vessel) in your wrist, arm, or groin. The groin is the area where your abdomen meets your upper leg. Your blood is tested for the amount of "gases" in it, such as oxygen, acids, and carbon dioxide.
  
  
• Blood tests: You may need blood taken for tests. The blood can be taken from a blood vessel in your hand, arm, or the bend in your elbow. It is tested to see how your body is doing. It can give your caregivers more information about your health condition. You may need to have blood drawn more than once.
  
  
• Chest x-ray: This is a picture of your lungs and heart. Caregivers use it to see how your lungs and heart are doing. Caregivers may use the x-ray to look for signs of infection like pneumonia, or to look for collapsed lungs. Chest x-rays may show tumors, broken ribs, or fluid around the heart and lungs.
  
  
• Computerized tomography scan: This test is also called a CT or CAT scan. A special x-ray machine uses a computer to take pictures of your lungs. Before taking the pictures, you may be given dye through an IV in your vein. The dye helps the lungs, heart, and blood vessels show up better in the pictures. People who are allergic to shellfish (lobster, crab, or shrimp) may be allergic to this dye. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any of these.

• Ventilator: This is a machine that can breathe for you. This will support your breathing while your lungs are healing. You may have an endotracheal tube (ET tube) in your mouth or nose that will attach to a ventilator. Oxygen can then be given to you through the ventilator.
  
  
• Medicines: These medicines may help your signs and symptoms or treat problems that may cause ARDS.
  
  
  • Anti-anxiety medicine: This medicine will help you feel less nervous and more relaxed.
    
    
  • Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be given to help treat or prevent an infection caused by germs called bacteria. Muscle relaxants: Muscle spasms (twitching) may be decreased with this medicine.
    
    
  • Pain relievers: Your pain will be decreased or gone when using pain relievers.

• American Lung Association
  61 Broadway, 6th floor
  New York City, NY 10006
  Phone: 1-800-586-4872
  Web Address: http://www.lungusa.org
  

• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
  Health Information Center
  P.O. Box 30105
  Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
  Phone: 1-301-592-8573
  Web Address: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/infoctr/index.htm