Optimal Strategies for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurs in more than 10% of intensive care unit admissions and in nearly 25% of ventilated patients. Mortality remains high at 40%, and, for patients who survive, recovery continues for months or even years. Early recognition and minimizing further lung injury remain essential to successful management of severe ARDS. Advanced treatment strategies, which complement lung protective ventilation, include short-term neuromuscular blockade, prone positioning, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Alternative ventilator strategies include high-frequency ventilation and airway pressure release ventilation. This article reviews these options in patients with severe ARDS.