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    1. Home
    2. Health and wellbeing
    3. Illnesses and conditions
    4. A to Z

    Acute respiratory distress syndrome

    Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition where the lungs can't provide the body's vital organs with enough oxygen. It's usually a complication of a serious existing health condition. Most people have therefore already been admitted to hospital by the time they develop ARDS.

    Symptoms of ARDS

    Symptoms of ARDS can include:

    • severe shortness of breath
    • rapid, shallow breathing
    • tiredness, drowsiness or confusion
    • feeling faint

    When to get urgent medical help

    Although most people develop ARDS when they're already in hospital, this isn't always the case. It can develop quickly as a result of an infection such as pneumonia, or if someone accidentally breathes in their vomit.

    Dial 999 immediately to ask for an ambulance if a child or adult is having breathing problems.

    Causes of ARDS

    ARDS happens when the lungs become severely inflamed due to an infection or injury. This causes fluid from nearby blood vessels to leak into the tiny air sacs in your lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult.

    The lungs can become inflamed following:

    • pneumonia or severe flu
    • blood poisoning 
    • a severe chest injury  
    • accidental inhalation of vomit, smoke or toxic chemicals
    • near drowning
    • acute pancreatitis – a serious condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed over a short period of time 
    • an adverse reaction to a blood transfusion

    Diagnosing ARDS

    There's no one test to diagnose ARDS. A number of tests are usually needed to find out the cause and rule out other conditions.

    These are likely to include:

    • a physical examination
    • blood tests – to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood and check for an infection
    • a pulse oximetry test – where a sensor attached to the fingertip, ear or toe is used to measure how much oxygen the blood is absorbing
    • a chest X-ray and a computerised tomography (CT) scan – to look for evidence of ARDS
    • an echocardiogram – a type of ultrasound scan that's used to look at the heart and nearby blood vessels

    Treating ARDS

    If you develop ARDS, you'll probably be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and put on a breathing machine (ventilator) to help your breathing.

    The cause of ARDS should also be treated. For example, if it's caused by a bacterial infection, you may need antibiotics.

    How long you'll need to stay in hospital depends on your treatment and the cause of ARDS. Most people respond well to treatment. But it may be several weeks or months before you're well enough to leave hospital.

    Complications of ARDS

    As ARDS is often caused by a serious health condition, about one in three people who develop it will die. Most deaths are caused by the underlying illness, rather than ARDS itself.

    For people who survive, the main complications are linked with nerve and muscle damage, which causes pain and weakness. Some people also develop psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

    The lungs usually recover and long-term lung failure after ARDS is rare.

    More useful links

    • How to use your health services

    The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website.

    For further information see terms and conditions.

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