Treatment, Complications and Prognosis

Patients with respiratory distress syndrome need ventilatory support. Death in these patients occurs due to the cause of ARDS rather than ARDS itself.

Treatment of ARDS

Treatment of acute (or adult) respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) includes the following:

Patients often need to be put on a ventilator in an intensive care unit setting.
The underlying cause should be treated.
Fluids should be restricted. Diuretics may also be administered to reduce the fluid in the body.
Nutrition may be maintained through a feeding tube or fluids may be injected through the vein.

Complications

ARDS patients may suffer from the following complications:

Trauma and/or infection to the lungs or respiratory passage during ventilation
Infections especially to the respiratory tract, sinuses or urinary tract
Muscle weakness
Prolonged ventilation
Kidney failure;
Multiple organ failure
Stomach ulcers
Anemia

Death usually occurs due to the cause of ARDS rather than ARDS itself.

The prognosis or outcome of the condition is worse in older patients than in younger ones. Death may occur more often in the following patients: