ARDS, which stands for acute respiratory distress syndrome, or sometimes adult respiratory distress syndrome (to distinguish it from a lung problem in newborns), is not a disease itself, but a type of severe acute lung dysfunction that can result from disease or injury, according to the ARDS Support Center, a clearinghouse for information.
The condition stiffens the lungs, fills them with water, and causes shortness of breath from respiratory failure. Inflammation damages microscopic air sacs called alveoli, which collapse, and tiny blood vessels called capillaries, which leak fluid into the lung. The inflammation can cause permanent scarring.
When doctors first became aware of ARDS in World War II, it was invariably fatal, but modern mechanical respirators, delivering extra oxygen, now help many to survive it.
Treatment of the condition can cause its own damage, like oxygen burns, and may leave long-term problems.
Doctors have learned to look for ARDS and treat it in patients who have survived auto accidents or heart surgery or who have illnesses like pneumonia or severe infections like septic shock, but they do not know why some of these patients suffer ARDS and others do not.
Related Posts
-
What do the Distress Letters SOS Stand For and How did the International Distress Signal Originate?
The international Morse code distress signal is commonly known as SOS. Morse code is a series of electrical impulses that signify the letters of a structured message. SOS doesn't stand for "save our…
-
Where does Respiratory Syncytial Virus come from and How does RVS cause pneumonia?
The most common cause of serious respiratory tract infections, pneumonia and bronchiolitis (infection of the small vessels in the lungs called bronchioles), in infants and children is a germ called respiratory syncytial virus,…
-
What Does the Word “Mayday” Mean in French and Where Did the International Distress Signal Come From?
The distress call "mayday" comes from the French, who were leading pioneers in flight. In 1911 there were 433 licensed aviators in France, compared to just 171 in Britain and even fewer in…
-
What Does an Upside Down Flag Mean and Why Is it Not a Distress Signal At Sea?
The use of flags to signal distress is a very old naval tradition, but flying the national flag upside down isn't one of them. From a distance it's hard to read whether a…
-
Why do eyes turn red and swollen after too little sleep and what causes it?
Such a condition is probably an inflammatory response to the irritation of having the eyes open and exposed to the drying air. The effect is common knowledge and a clear symptom of sleeplessness…
-
What Causes the Ocean Tides and Why Are There Two High Tides Every Day?
Whenever someone pompously proclaims that the ocean's tides are caused by the moon, everybody mutters, "Uh, okay," and goes away just as puzzled as before. "It's the moon" is a cop-out, because a…
