Acute Respiratory Failure / ARDS

Acute respiratory failure occurs Trusted Source when your lungs cannot release enough oxygen into your blood, which prevents your organs from properly functioning. It also occurs if your lungs cannot remove carbon dioxide from your blood.

Respiratory failure happens when the capillaries, or tiny blood vessels surrounding your air sacs, cannot properly exchange carbon dioxide and/or oxygen.

What are the symptoms of acute respiratory failure?

The symptoms of acute respiratory failure depend on its underlying cause. Symptoms can also differ by the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood.

People with low oxygen may experience trusted Source:

shortness of breath
a bluish coloration on lips, fingertips, or toes
drowsiness
difficulty performing routine activities, such as dressing or climbing stairs, due to extreme tiredness

Treatment of ARDS

Doctors must treat acute respiratory failure quickly, as it can be life threatening. Emergency medical treatment can help you breathe and prevent further organ damage. Once you’re in stable condition, a doctor can treat any underlying conditions causing your respiratory failure.

If you’re in pain or having difficulty breathing, a doctor may prescribe pain medication or other medications to help you breathe better.
If you cannot breathe adequately, a doctor may insert a breathing tube into your mouth or nose and connect the tube to a ventilator to help you breathe.

Complications

Pulmonary complications, or those affecting the lungs, can include:

pulmonary embolism
pulmonary fibrosis
pneumonia
pneumothorax (collapsed lung)

Risk Factor

smoke tobacco products
drink alcohol excessively
have a family history of respiratory disease or conditions
have an injury to the spine, brain, or chest
have a compromised immune system

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