title: Ventilatory Management of ALI/ARDS.
abstract: Acute lung injury (ALI) and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) describe syndromes of diffuse parenchymal lung injury resulting from a variety of inflammatory triggers. The pathophysiological consequences include stiff, low-compliance lungs with impaired gas exchange. Importantly, there is often marked heterogeneity of disease. Positive pressure ventilation must therefore not only focus on recruiting and ventilating diseased units but must also avoid injuring healthy units. To this end, the goals of mechanical ventilatory support of ALI and ARDS have shifted over the last decade to providing smaller (and thus less injurious) tidal volumes and accepting consequently lower arterial values for PaO(2) and the development of respiratory acidosis. This has resulted in significant improvements in outcomes. Future developments will need to further refine this lung protective concept.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC 3911, Durham, NC 27710, USA. neil.macintyre@duke.edu
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: MacIntyre
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D013990:Tidal Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015300:Ventilator Weaning / Q000379:methods