Ards (acute respiratory distress syndrome): symptoms, causes, etc.

Definition

What is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

Acute respiratory failure aka acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a condition that occurs when the air sacs of the lungs (alveoli) fill up with fluid so that you don't get enough oxygen. This condition can be life threatening.

ARDS generally occurs in critically ill patients and is a medical emergency. Shortness of breath or rapid breathing accompanied by a sensation such as running out of air are the main symptoms of ARDS. This condition develops rapidly within hours to several days after injury or infection occurs.

Many people with acute respiratory failure don't survive. The risk of death increases with age and disease severity.

A minority of people with this disease can recover completely. However, most of the others had lung damage.

How common is this condition

Anyone can get ARDS, including babies. Acute respiratory failure syndrome is very common in people hospitalized with critical conditions as a result of lung infection or chest injury.

However, this condition can be treated by reducing risk factors or various things that cause health problems to be experienced to get worse. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

Reporting from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, difficulty breathing is an early symptom of ARDS. Symptoms usually appear after 1-2 days of experiencing illness or injury.

Symptoms that appear can vary depending on the cause of this condition and how severe it is.

The following are other common symptoms of ARDS:

• Difficulty breathing
• Low blood oxygen level
• Hard to breathe
• Heart beat fast
• Fever
• Muscle fatigue
• Mental confusion
• Discoloration of skin or nails due to reduced oxygen levels in the blood.

When it gets worse, ARDS can cause several complications such as blood clots, infections, lung damage to organ failure.

When should I see a doctor?

ARDS is a medical emergency. This means that you need to get medical help immediately.

Most patients with acute respiratory failure have actually been hospitalized for certain respiratory diseases so they can be treated immediately. However, if you exhibit the signs and symptoms of respiratory failure as mentioned or are accompanied by other disorders, seek medical attention immediately.

ARDS patients require training with a breathing apparatus only available in health facilities or hospitals.

Cause

What causes

According to the American Lung Association, most ARDS conditions are caused by damage to cells or tissues in the lungs.

This condition begins with the leakage of fluid from small blood vessels that flows into the air sacs or alveoli, where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged.

This leak causes damage to the lung walls and air sacs so that the lungs are submerged and air exchange does not take place normally.

Furthermore, this condition will also damage the surfactant, which is the liquid that works to keep the air sacs open. As a result, oxygen levels in the blood vessels will decrease.

The initial cause of damage to the blood vessels in the alveoli comes from direct disruption within the lungs or indirect causes that then impact the lungs.

Some of the common causes of acute respiratory failure include:

• Sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition caused by an overworked immune system to fight infection or injury.
• Pneumonia
• Inflammation of the pancreas
• Inhaling stomach contents into the lungs (pulmonary aspiration)
• Inhalation of hazardous substances
• Lung transplant
• Trauma due to motor vehicle accidents
• Medications, such as nitrofurantoin or morphine overdose, methadone
• Serious bleeding requiring a blood transfusion.

Risk factors

What makes me more at risk for this condition

Most people with ARDS are patients who have been hospitalized for other conditions and are in a critical condition. You tend to be at higher risk for acute respiratory failure if you have a severe infection in your bloodstream (sepsis).

People who have a history of chronic alcoholism are also at an increased risk of developing acute respiratory failure. They are among the group of people who are more likely to die from ARDS.

The trigger factors that can put you at risk for ARDS include:

• Actively smoking.
• Are over 65 years of age.
• Have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• There is a bacterial infection that spreads widely through the bloodstream.
• Having high-risk surgery or chemotherapy treatment.
• Has low protein levels in the blood.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition

There is no single test that can confirm a diagnosis of ARDS. Some of the tests used to diagnose this condition include:

• Chest X-ray: a chest x-ray procedure can show what part of the lung is and how much fluid is in it and whether the heart is swollen.
• Blood gas test: This test is used to determine the level of oxygen in the blood in the arteries.
• Blood test: this test provides information about how the body works.
• Swab test: taking samples in the throat and nose to then analyze whether there is an infection with germs or not.
• Heart test such as an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram.

Low blood pressure and oxygen content in the blood are signs of ARDS. Doctors may rely on an electrocardiogram and echocardiogram to rule out heart disease.

If a chest X-ray or CT scan later reveals that there are fluid-filled air sacs in the lungs, it can be confirmed that this is ARDS.

In addition, a lung biopsy can also be performed to rule out other lung diseases. However, this method is rarely done.

How to handle

Patients with acute respiratory failure are usually treated in the ICU. The goal of treatment is to maintain adequate levels of oxygen in the blood so as to prevent organ failure and treat the causes of ARDS.

The use of a ventilator is also sometimes needed. All patients with ARDS will need oxygen therapy. Even so, oxygen alone is usually not enough so that the patient needs to be assisted by a machine to breathe.

Based on studies from J Clin Medical Respiratory , here are the treatment options used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome:

1. Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP)

Technique called positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) helps control pressure on the lungs, improves lung function, and reduces injury to the lungs due to use of a ventilator.

2. Handling fluids

Too much fluid in the body can cause fluid buildup in the lungs. Too little fluid can cause the organs and heart to strain and shock. The amount of intravenous fluid must be carefully adjusted.

3. Treatment

People who have ARDS are usually given painkillers that can relieve pain and discomfort. These drugs include:

• Antibiotics can prevent and treat infections.
• Anti-anxiety medications can help calm and relax the patient.
• Blood thinners can prevent clots in the lungs or legs.

The American Lung Association estimates that 30-50% of people with ARDS end up dying. However, the risk of death is not the same for all people with ARDS.

The death rate is largely determined by the cause of ARDS and the general health condition of the person experiencing it. Many ARDS survivors recover fully within a few months, but some have lifelong lung damage.

Prevention and home remedies

What can I do at home to prevent or treat it from happening acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with acute respiratory failure:

• Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, such as being or doing activities constantly in the environment of active smokers. It can also help you maintain overall lung health.
• Stop consuming alcohol.
• Get vaccinated. An annual flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine every 5 years can reduce the risk of lung infections.
• Doing breathing exercises to improve lung function during the recovery period.