RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME

Course overview

ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (ARDS) IS A COMMON CONDITION WHICH IS CAUSED BY PULMONARY AND EXTRA-PULMONARY PATHOLOGIES, AND IT CARRIES HIGH RATES OF MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY. IT WAS FIRST DESCRIBED 50 YEARS AGO. THE DEFINITION IS NON-CARDIOGENIC PULMONARY EDEMA THAT OCCURS BECAUSE OF AN INFLAMMATORY PROCESS THAT INCREASES CAPILLARY MEMBRANES PERMEABILITY LEADING TO IMPAIRMENT IN OXYGENATION AND GAS EXCHANGE PRESENTING WITH HYPOXEMIA AND BILATERAL PULMONARY INFILTRATES. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.