What Is ARDS?
ARDS, or acute respiratory distress syndrome, is a
lung condition that leads to low oxygen levels in the blood. ARDS can be life
threatening. This is because your body's organs, such as the kidneys and brain,
need oxygen-rich blood to work properly.
ARDS usually occurs in people who are very ill with
another disease or who have major injuries. Most people are already in the
hospital when they develop ARDS.
Overview
When you breathe, air passes through your nose and
mouth into your windpipe. The air then travels to your lungs' air sacs. These
sacs are called alveoli (al-VEE-uhl-eye).
Small blood vessels called capillaries run through
the walls of the alveoli. Oxygen passes from the alveoli into the capillaries
and then into the bloodstream. Blood carries the oxygen to all parts of the
body, including the body's organs.
In ARDS, infections, injuries, or other conditions
cause the lung's capillaries to leak more fluid than normal into the alveoli.
This prevents the lungs from filling with air and moving enough oxygen into the
bloodstream.
When this happens, the body's organs don't get the
oxygen they need. Without oxygen, the organs may not work properly or may stop
working completely.
Most people who develop ARDS are in the hospital for
another serious health problem. Rarely, people who aren't hospitalized have
health problems (such as severe pneumonia) that lead to ARDS.
If you have trouble breathing, call your doctor
right away. If you have severe shortness of breath, call 911.
Outlook
ARDS treatment has improved in recent years. As a
result, more people are surviving ARDS. This condition affects about 190,000
people in the United States each year. About 7 out of 10 people who get prompt
and proper treatment for ARDS survive it.
Some people who survive recover completely. Others
may have lasting damage to their lungs and other health problems.
Researchers are studying new treatments for
ARDS.
August 2008
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