What is the full form of ARDS
ARDS: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
ARDS stands for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. It is a severe lung condition in which lungs become severely inflamed and fluid fills up in the tiny, elastic air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. It may occur due to severe pulmonary injury or infection. In the beginning, it manifests as dyspnea, tachypnea or hypoxemia then over the time evolves in respiratory failure.
As fluid accumulates in the lungs, less space is left for the air so less oxygen is passed to bloodstream. It leads to low oxygen levels in the blood. The organs don’t get sufficient oxygen to perform their functions properly.
Common Symptoms
The symptoms of ARDS usually appear within few hours or few days after the injury or infection. Some of the common symptoms are:
- Severe shortness of breath
- Abnormal rapid breathing
- Low blood pressure
- Extreme tiredness
- Discolored skin or nails
- Dry cough and headaches
- Fast pulse rate
- Mental confusion
Common Causes
The ARDS may occur due to a number of reasons, some of the most common causes are:
- Sepsis: A serious and widespread infection of the bloodstream.
- Harmful substances: Inhaling high concentration of smoke, chemical pollutants or fumes.
- Severe pneumonia: It affects all the lobes of the lungs.
- Major injury: Accidents that result in major head, lungs or any other injury can damage the lungs or a part of the brain that controls breathing.
- Others: The others causes may include Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), burns, transfusion reaction, near-drowning etc.