Free BCEN Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) Practice Question

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by the sudden onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. This leads to the accumulation of fluid in the alveoli, causing bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Unlike cardiogenic pulmonary edema, ARDS is not related to heart failure and instead is primarily due to direct or indirect lung injury. Understanding these features helps clinicians distinguish ARDS from other respiratory conditions.