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Symptoms Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

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There are many diseases all around the world that affect our loved ones. One in particular that is common among many hospitals is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also known as ARDS. Originally it was called Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome but realized that was not accurate because it not only affects adults but children also. ARDS is defined as "the acute onset of respiratory failure, bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph, hypoxemia as defined by a PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤200 mmHg, and no evidence of left atrial hypertension or a pulmonary capillary pressure (Fanelli et al., 2013) It can also include cyanosis, tachypnea, dyspnea, reduced respiratory compliance and an arterial blood gas showing respiratory alkalosis with evidence of hypoxemia. Out of the many pulmonary disorders out there, ARDS is one of the most difficult diseases to manage and has a high mortality rate that comes with it. For this condition to occur, many things have to take place in the body. First the pulmonary capillaries and alveoli epithelial tissues become inflamed. This results in absorbency of these layers of tissues which then leads to plasma, which is abundant in protein, to escape out of the capillaries and into the alveolar space. After the trauma to the alveolar lining occurs, this allows fluid into the alveoli, which then results in pulmonary edema. During this whole process damage to two different types of cells is being done. Type I and II of the alveolar epithelial cells. Type II

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