Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Characteristics ALI-acute Inflammation of lung parenchyma Impairs gas exchange Long term illness can trigger this (malaria) Associated with pneumonia, eosinophillic pneumonia, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, acute fibrous organizing pneumonia DAD Pathology most commonly associated with ARDs Characterized by diffuse inflammation of lung parenchyma This triggers an initial release of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators Typical histological alveolar damage and hyaline membrane formation in alveolar walls In a secondary phase, endothelial dysfunction causes cells and inflammatory exudates (puss)