Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Overview
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening illness that can happen when your lungs are not working properly. ARDS is usually a complication of other serious conditions and is treated in hospital.
Symptoms
Symptoms of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) include: shortness of breathtaking short, fast breaths
Causes
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) usually affects people who are already unwell. Causes of ARDS can include: sepsisinfections such aspneumoniaacute pancreatitisaccidentally inhaling vomit or fooddrowningsmoke inhalationsevere injurieshaving blood transfusionshaving a lung transplant sepsis infections such aspneumonia acute pancreatitis accidentally inhaling vomit or food drowning smoke inhalation severe injuries having blood transfusions having a lung transplant
Treatment
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is treated in hospital, usually in anintensive care unit (ICU). Treatment may include: oxygen, which you breathe in using a maskventilation, where a machine is used to breathe for youmedicines, such as antibiotics to treat infectionfluids given through a vein ARDS is a life-threatening condition and cannot always be cured. There's a chance someone who has it may die.