Respiratory distress syndrome

[borju1]

What could cause a pt to rather suddenly go into ARDS while in the hospital . This pt was admitted with failure to thrive was having Orthostatic BP issues. And she was also a-fib. The MD's weren't quit sure what was really going with her. They were expressing possibly liver issues. she was in the hospital for some time and seemed to be getting better, then she ended up in the ICU with ARDS. Any info would be very helpful. Thank you

[travel50]

My son had ARDS when he was 11. Was admitted to PICU with rocky mountain spotted fever. By the first nite, he became delirious and combative. By the next day he was very edematous all over. His liver was inflamed (I think was the word they used). I know liver func studies were 3-4 times too high. By the 2nd nite, he began to have trouble breathing and an x-ray confirmed ARDS as well as a severly enlarged heart. Had to put him on a vent for several days. They gave him no chance to live. Then he developed DIC. Then he pulled through. I remember that they almost lost him while they were putting in a central line...lost a b/p x sev. minutes. Had him on IV meds trying to keep it up. Then that nite they discovered the ARDS. I can't say that the ARDS was b/c of the low b/p. The RMSF just attacked nearly every organ. But at the time I associated it with the b/p.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Any seriously ill person can develop ARDS.

You should speak to her physician for info about this specific case.