Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) is caused when there is not enough of a protective substance called surfactant in the lungs. Surfactant is made up of proteins and fats. It helps keep the lungs inflated and prevents the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing.
Your baby will begin to produce surfactant sometime between week 28 and week 32 of pregnancy. Most babies will have produced enough surfactant to breathe normally by week 35 of pregnancy.
If your baby is born before week 35, they may not have enough surfactant in their lungs. If this happens, every time they take a breath, some of the air sacs will collapse.
If the baby is not treated, a large number of air sacs will collapse, causing oxygen levels in the blood to fall. This can lead to multiple organ failure followed by death.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) develops if the lungs become very inflamed due to a severe infection or injury. The inflammation causes the air sacs to collapse and fluid from nearby blood vessels to leak into the lungs.
Over time, the lungs will become so full of fluid that breathing becomes increasingly difficult. If it is not treated, ARDS will eventually cause a total loss of lung function and will lead to death.
The lungs may become inflamed due to:
- pneumonia
- flu (both seasonal flu and swine flu can trigger ARDS in vulnerable people)
- heart failure
- severe chest injury
- smoke inhalation
- accidental inhalation of toxic chemicals
- drug overdose
- near drowning
- a piece of food or another object accidentally falling down into the lungs
- acute pancreatitis, where inflammation of the pancreas can spread throughout the body
Lung inflammation may occur following an infection that has spread through the blood to affect the whole body.
Inflammation can also occur if you fracture one of your long bones, such as the thigh bone. If fat particles are released, they can travel up into your lungs.
