Do your lungs gasp for breath? ARDS could be the villain

ARDS can be the gateway to a number of other complications, especially blood clots, collapsed lung, infections and pulmonary fibrosis and if not treated expertly, it can cause life-long breathing problems, depression, problems with memory, tiredness and muscle weakness. Here's all you need to know

People have been hearing more about Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), especially after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic still, there is not much awareness about this serious health condition which has a high risk of mortality. ARDS occurs when fluid starts building up in the tiny elastic air sacs in one’s lungs and this build-up of fluid prevents lungs from filling with enough air which means organs cannot function properly because only a small amount of oxygen reaches the bloodstream.

Do your lungs gasp for breath? ARDS could be the villain (Image by Semevent from Pixabay )

ARDS is not an independent disease by itself since it occurs mostly in people who are already critically ill or those who have sustained severe injuries. “Many people diagnosed with ARDS don’t survive. The risk of death increases with one’s age and the severity of the illness,” Dr Agam Vora, Pulmonologist in Mumbai, explained in an interview with HT Lifestyle.

So, how can one know whether he or she is suffering from ARDS? The general symptoms include severe shortness of breath, rapid or difficulty in breathing, low blood pressure, confusion or extreme fatigue.

Intensity of the symptoms, however, can vary depending on the cause, severity and the presence of an already underlying heart or lung disease but identifying ARDS is largely the job of doctors since it occurs mostly in people who are already in hospital due to major illness or injury. The major cause of ARDS is due to the fluid leakage from the smallest blood vessels in the lungs into the alveoli.

In a healthy person, there is a protective membrane that keeps the fluid in the vessels and it is the damage to the membrane due to illness or injury that usually results in ARDS. Dr Vora warned, “There are also other causes like sepsis, inhalation of harmful substances, severe pneumonia and injury to the head or chest. We have also seen people with severe Covid-19 infection developing ARDS. Especially people with chronic alcoholism are at particular risk of ARDS.”

ARDS can be the gateway to a number of other complications, especially blood clots, collapsed lung, infections and pulmonary fibrosis and if not treated expertly, can cause life-long breathing problems, depression, problems with memory, tiredness and muscle weakness. Except that one can lower the risk of ARDS, there is no way it can be prevented completely.

“See the doctor in case of trauma, infection or illness, stop smoking if you are a smoker, stay off second-hand smoke and avoid alcohol and get your flu and pneumonia vaccine once in 5 years. ARDS may quite be a frightening affair but the doctor assures that timely detection and expert treatment can help in recovery due to recent advances in medical science. We are seeing breakthrough medicines, so there is no need to lose heart. Aviptadil, a naturally occurring chemical in human body also known as vasoactive intestinal peptide, is being made available as an infusion. It restores the normal breathing pattern, improves gas exchange and demonstrates a survival benefit for ARDS patients,” Dr Vora revealed.

In research it was shown to reduce the need of supplemental oxygen, shortens the time to recovery and early weaning from ventilator machine.