Medical Management and Nursing Care of a Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a critical, life-threatening condition involving both lungs, characterized by capillary endothelial damage, diffuse pulmonary infiltration, and oxygen-resistant hypoxemia. The incidence in intensive care units is between 7.1-12.5% and its mortality can be up to 40% in severe cases. Pathological processes with exudative, proliferative and fibrotic stages in the lungs in response to different etiological factors in ARDS result in hypoxemia, hypercapnia and decreased lung compliance. There is no drug with proven efficacy in treatment. The most crucial parameter of ARDS management is protective mechanical ventilation, including low tidal volume, high positive end-expiratory pressure regulations, prone position, and recruitment maneuvering. In addition, supportive approaches such as fluid management, nutritional support, reduction of oxygen consumption, prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, pain management, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, peptic ulcer prophylaxis, blood sugar regulation, and maintaining skin/tissue integrity are applied. This review will briefly describe ARDS and related factors, then focus on treatment, care, and patient follow-up from the physician and nurse perspective.

Keywords

• acute respiratory distress syndrome
• ards
• mechanical ventilation