Missouri medicine
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Review
Acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome: pathophysiology and treatment.
Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represent a spectrum of acute respiratory failure with diffuse, bilateral lung injury and severe hypoxemia caused by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Failure may be initiated by pulmonary or extrapulmonary insults (e.g., pneumonia, sepsis, trauma, aspiration) that increase alveolar epithelial endothelial permeability, flood alveoli, and reduce lung compliance. The only treatment proven to improve survival is mechanical ventilation using a 'lung protective strategy' with tidal volume =6 mL/kg predicted body weight. Although mortality can exceed 50%, survivors have a good prognosis for recovery of lung function.
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Prolongation of the QT interval can predispose to a potentially fatal polymorphic ventricular tachycardia called torsades de pointes (TdP). Although usually self-limited, TdP may degenerate into ventricular fibrillation and cause sudden death. ⋯ This paper presents a case of sudden death that is likely from drug-induced TdP. It reviews the mechanisms, risk factors, offending agents, and management of drug-induced torsades de pointes.