Respiratory distress syndrome is a potentially life-threatening medical condition where the lungs cannot provide enough oxygen for the rest of the body.
Symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome include:
- blue-coloured lips, fingers and toes
- rapid, shallow breathing
- rapid heartbeat
Types of respiratory distress syndrome
There are two main types of respiratory distress syndrome:
- Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome affects newborn babies.
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome can affect people of any age.
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) affects premature babies. It can occur if a baby is born before their lungs are fully developed and capable of working properly.
It is estimated that half of all babies born before 28 weeks of pregnancy will develop NRDS.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mainly affects adults. It occurs when a person’s lungs become seriously damaged and filled with fluid, affecting their ability to breathe in oxygen.
The damage can occur because of:
- an injury to the lungs or a lung infection, such as pneumonia or flu
- an infection that spreads from another part of the body into the blood and then into the lungs (this is a common cause of ARDS)
ARDS mainly affects people over 75 years of age. It's estimated that only 1 in every 6,000 people will develop the condition in England each year.
Read more about the causes of respiratory distress syndrome.
Treatment and outlook
Most babies with NRDS can be successfully treated with a medication called artificial surfactant, which helps restore normal lung function. Many cases of NRDS can be prevented by treating the baby before birth with a medication called betamethasone. As a result, death from NRDS is very rare in England, and only two deaths occurred during 2009.
ARDS is treated using a ventilator to assist breathing while the underlying cause is treated. As people with ARDS are usually very ill in the first place, there is a high risk of complications, which lead to death in a third of cases.
Read more about treating respiratory distress syndrome.
