Chapter 40 - Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

The Berlin definition describes acute respiratory distress syndrome as: (1) the development of respiratory failure that occurs within 7 days of a known clinical insult and represents new or worsening respiratory symptoms that are associated with (2) the presence of bilateral opacities consistent with pulmonary edema on either chest x-ray or computed tomography scan that is complicated by (3) hypoxemia requiring mechanical ventilation with a minimum positive end expiratory pressure or continuous positive airway pressure of 5cm H2O. The respiratory failure should not be fully explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload (e.g., end-stage renal disease).