The Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is sudden onset of respiratory failure charecterized by diffuse infiltrates on the chest radiography, severe hypoxsemia, and diminished pulmonary compliance. Pathologic features included severe pulmonary edema, vascular congestion with hemorrhage, atelectasis, and hyaline membrane formation. The incidance of ARDS is approximately 75 cases per 100 000 each year in United States. As our knowledge of the clinical and epidemiologic features of ARDS has progressed, our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanism leading to the production of lung injury became more clear. The pathogenesis is a complex series of inflammatory events, including participitation of performed plasma derivated inflammatory mediators. Management of the patient with ARDS is complex, particularly because the condition frequently occurs in the setting of multiple organ disorders syndrome (MODS). General management principles include diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause of ARDS, cardiopulmonary and nutritional support and avoidance from the treatment complications. [Journal of Turgut Özal Medical Center 1997;4(3):360-369]
Key Words: ARDS, inflammatory mediators, therapy, pathophysiology
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