NURS 287 Lecture Notes - Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Influenza-Like Illness, Pulmonary Artery
28 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
The pathophysiologic changes of ards are thought to be due to stimulation of the inflammatory and immune systems, which causes an attraction of neutrophils to the pulmonary interstitium. The neutrophils cause a release of biochemical, humoral, and cellular mediators that produce changes in the lung. The injury or exudative phase of ards occurs approximately 1 to 7 days (usually 24 to. If the reparative phase is arrested, the lesions resolve. Progression of ards varies among patients and several factors determine the course of. Ards, including the nature of the initial injury, extent and severity of coexisting diseases, and pulmonary complications. Initially the patient may exhibit only dyspnea, tachypnea, cough, and restlessness and chest auscultation may be normal or reveal fine, scattered crackles. Abgs usually indicate mild hypoxemia and respiratory alkalosis caused by hyperventilation. Chest x-ray may be normal, exhibit evidence of minimal scattered interstitial infiltrates, or demonstrate diffuse and extensive bilateral infiltrates (termed whiteout or white lung).
