Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – ARDS: Clinical Cheat Sheet An acute diffuse, inflammatory lung injury, leading to increased pulmonary vascular permeability, lung congestion with hypoxemia and bilateral radigraphic opacities, associated with decreased lung compliance. Berlin criteria (2013) ● Acute onset over 1 week or less ● Bilateral opacities consistent with pulmonary edema must be present; they may be detected on CT or CXR ● PaO2/FiO2 ratio <300mmHg with a minimum of 5 cmH20 PEEP ● Volume overload with heart failure should be ruled out either subjectively or an “objective assessment“ (e.g. echo cardiogram) should be performed in most cases if there is no clear cause such as trauma or sepsis. Management ● Early resuscitation, appropriate antibiotic agents, and source control if sepsis-associated ARDS. ● Conservative fluid-management ● Supportive management with early enteral nutrition ● Treat the underlying cause ● Glucortecoids may improve oxygenation in pneumonia and are harmful if started >14 days after dx of ARDS Usama Nasir MD @usamanasirmd - Visualmed #Acute #RespiratoryDistress #Syndrome #ARDS #Summary #CheatSheet #Diagnosis #Management #CriticalCare
