What Is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome?
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious lung condition that causes low blood oxygen. People who develop ARDS are usually ill due to another disease or a major injury.
In ARDS, fluid builds up inside the tiny air sacs of the lungs, and surfactant breaks down. Surfactant is a foamy substance made by your body that keeps your lungs fully expanded so you can breathe. The fluid buildup and lack of surfactant that happen because of ARDS prevent the lungs from properly filling with air and moving enough oxygen into the bloodstream and throughout the body. The lung tissue may scar and become stiff.
ARDS may develop over a few days, or it can get worse very quickly. The first symptom of ARDS is usually shortness of breath. Other symptoms of ARDS are low blood oxygen, rapid breathing, and clicking, bubbling, or rattling sounds in the lungs when breathing.
ARDS can develop at any age. To diagnose ARDS, the doctor will do a physical exam, review your medical history, measure blood oxygen levels, and order a chest X-ray. Supplying oxygen is the main treatment for ARDS. Other treatments help make you more comfortable or aim to eliminate the cause of ARDS. Treatments for ARDS may help prevent serious or life-threatening complications, including organ damage or organ failure.
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)