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 9–1–1.

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