Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe pulmonary condition covered in tertiary critical care and pulmonology curricula across Zambian universities. This topic explores the Berlin definition, etiologies, pathophysiology, and evidence-based management including lung-protective ventilation, PEEP titration, prone positioning, and fluid restriction. Students learn to interpret chest imaging, arterial blood gases, and hemodynamic monitoring in the context of hypoxemic respiratory failure. ARDS management is essential for exams in anesthesia, emergency medicine, and internal medicine, and is crucial for ICU rotations in Zambian teaching hospitals. With ARDS being a common complication of sepsis, trauma, and pneumonia, this training equips future healthcare professionals with skills to improve survival and reduce ventilator-associated lung injury in high-acuity settings.