Acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome: a clinical review.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury are well defined and readily recognised clinical disorders caused by many clinical insults to the lung or because of predispositions to lung injury. That this process is common in intensive care is well established. The mainstay of treatment for this disorder is provision of excellent supportive care since these patients are critically ill and frequently have coexisting conditions including sepsis and multiple organ failure. Refinements in ventilator and fluid management supported by data from prospective randomised trials have increased the methods available to effectively manage this disorder.
Wheeler
Arthur P
AP
Medical Intensive Care Unit, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2650, USA.
Bernard
Gordon R
GR
Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2650, USA. Electronic address: gordon.bernard@vanderbilt.edu.
D000818:Animals; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006801:Humans; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013990:Tidal Volume; D015300:Ventilator Weaning