Treat the underlying etiology. Obtain critical care consultation for hypoxemia or hypercapnia despite mechanical ventilation or hemodynamic instability refractory to therapy. As of yet, no medication has been shown to affect the pulmonary inflammatory process of ARDS directly. Early cases with mild pulmonary findings may deteriorate rapidly. Nonsurvivors usually die from sepsis or multiple organ failure.
Survivors usually have a good outcome with minimal, if any, persistent pulmonary symptoms.
Survivors of severe cases may have some degree of permanent pulmonary fibrosis and symptoms of restrictive lung disease. Permissive hypercapnia in acute respiratory failure. Scientific perspectives on adult respiratory distress syndrome. Medicine is a constantly changing science and not all therapies are clearly established. New research changes drug and treatment therapies daily.