title: Respiratory distress syndrome: principles and current therapy.
abstract: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) describes a clinicopathologic disease process that occurs in association with a variety of clinical situations. The severity and outcome of this syndrome varies. Prolonged hospital stay, significant early morbidity and mortality, and long-term pulmonary parenchymal changes that result in reduced, often debilitating, pulmonary functions, typify the outcome of severe form of ARDS. Treatment is supportive with ventilatory assistance and adjunctive use of supplemental oxygen and end expiratory airway pressure (PEEP). Oxygen therapy and PEEP, though dramatically improve lung mechanics and oxygenation, are not innocuous and may adversely affect cardiovascular function and even induce pulmonary parenchymal injury. Over the years a variety of "lung protective" treatment modalities have been introduced and proved as effective and safe in the treatment of this syndrome
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Erie County Medical Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, USA. kraghave@ecmc.edu
authors.forename: Krishnan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raghavendran
authors.forename: Mahmoud N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kulaylat
authors.forename: Burke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Julian L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ambrus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013990:Tidal Volume
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen