Acute Respiratory Failure: Problems Solved and Unsolved

Annette M. Esper, MD, MSc, Editor View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a critical medical condition caused by various disease processes and is characterized by abnormal lung mechanics or function, impaired gas exchange, or disturbances in pulmonary circulation that results in the inability of the respiratory system to meet the oxygenation, ventilation, or metabolic demands of the body. This results in life-threatening metabolic and acid-base derangements, often leading to extrapulmonary organ failures and other complications. ARF is one of the most common conditions encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU), present in up to 56% to 69% of ICU admissions. 1 Vincent J.L. Akça S. De Mendonça A. et al. The epidemiology of acute respiratory failure in critically ill patients. Chest. 2002; 121: 1602-1609 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (159) Google Scholar It also represents a significant burden on the health care system, accounting for 1.0 to 1.9 million hospitalizations and $30 to $54 billion in health care costs per year in the United States. 2 Stefan M.S. Shieh M.S. Pekow P.S. et al. Epidemiology and outcomes of acute respiratory failure in the United States, 2001 to 2009: a national survey. J Hosp Med. 2013; 8: 76-82 Crossref PubMed Scopus (130) Google Scholar