ARDS Impact on Patient Quality of Life

Abstract

ARDS as a medical condition occurs when the patient’s lungs’ air sacs are filled with fluid. The number of organs involved and associated illnesses form additional determinants of ARDS mortality rate. For example, cases in which three organs are involved and that the situations last for more than one week have led to invariably fatal outcomes. Notably, an increase in the rate of mortality correlates directly with the state of disease severity.  For the survivors, physical, psychologic, and cognitive morbidity is common. Upon discharge from ICUs, effects such as cognitive dysfunction, psychiatric illnesses, short-term compromise of lung function, family stress, poor quality of life, minor imaging abnormalities, and persistent physical disabilities and abnormal exercise endurance may be experienced.