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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

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Difficulty breathing is usually the first symptoms of ARDS. Other signs and symptoms of ARDS may vary depending on the underlying cause and how severely you are affected. ARDS may take several days to develop, or it can rapidly get worse. Complications may include blood clots blood clot (blud klot):
A gel-like clump that forms when blood changes from a liquid to a solid state. Blood clots are necessary to help stop bleeding after an injury. An abnormal blood clot that forms inside an artery or vein is called a thrombus. A piece of the blood clot, called an embolus, can break off and move through the bloodstream. The embolus can block blood flow in another part of the body, such as the brain or lungs. , infections, additional lung problems, or organ failure.

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\n Signs and symptoms \n
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

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Signs and symptoms that you are developing or are at risk for ARDS may include:

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  • Shortness of breath
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  • Fast breathing, or taking lots of rapid, shallow breaths
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  • Fast heart rate
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  • Coughing that produces phlegm
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  • Blue fingernails or blue tone to the skin or lips
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  • fatigue
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  • Fever
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  • Crackling sound in the lungs
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  • Chest pain, especially when trying to breathe deeply
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  • Low blood pressure
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  • Confusion
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If you have trouble breathing, call your doctor right away. If you have severe shortness of breath, call 9-1-1.

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\n Complications \n
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

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If you have ARDS, you can develop other medical problems while in the hospital. Some can be life-threatening. The most common problems are:

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  • Atelectasis, when small air pockets in the lung collapse
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  • Complications of treatment in a hospital. Such complications include blood clots that can form from lying down for long periods, weakness in muscles used for breathing or moving around, infections, stress ulcers, and depression or other mood disorders. Problems with thinking, memory, and judgment also can result from the long-term use of sedative medicines.
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  • Failure of multiple organs. The body\u2019s organs may not work as well or may stop working altogether if they do not get enough oxygen. This lack of oxygen may cause several organs to stop working at the same time, setting up a potentially life-threatening situation.
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  • Pulmonary hypertension, or an increase in blood pressure blood pressure (blud PREH-sher):
    The force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps blood. Blood pressure has two measurements: systolic, which is measured when the heart beats and blood pressure is at its highest, and diastolic, which is measured between heart beats when blood pressure is at its lowest.     in the major artery leading from the heart to the lungs. This condition may occur when the blood vessel narrows as a result of damage from inflammation or mechanical ventilation. ARDS may also cause tiny clots to form in blood vessels in the lungs.
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Learn more about how some people are more at risk of complications from ARDS.

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Some studies indicate that the risk of life-threatening complications may be linked to race or ethnicity. They suggest that African Americans and Hispanics who develop ARDS are less likely than whites to survive. Research also indicates that men with ARDS are more likely than women to develop life-threatening problems.

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- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

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  • Diagnosis will explain tests and procedures used to detect signs of ARDS and help rule out other conditions that may mimic ARDS.
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  • Treatment will discuss treatment-related complications or side effects.
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/subscribe/3818
Source Agency: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Captured Date: 2019-09-17 18:13:00.0
","description":"Difficulty breathing is usually the first symptom of ARDS. Other signs and symptoms of ARDS may vary depending on the underlying cause and how severely you are affected. ARDS may take several days to develop, or it can rapidly get worse. Complications may include blood clots, infections, additional lung problems, or organ failure.","id":18858,"mediaType":"Html","name":"Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications","sourceUrl":"https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/subscribe/3818"}]}