What Is Respiratory Distress?
2. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
A very specific disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome affects the lungs’ ability to function. The tiny air sacs inside the lungs fill with fluid instead of air, causing the surfactant that attracts oxygen particles to dissolve and making them ineffective.
ARDS often results from an underlying lung condition or illness. Symptoms may progress slowly over several days, or it can come on suddenly. Scarring of lung tissue is a common result, which makes a long-term recovery difficult.
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