Critical Care Considerations in Adult Patients With Influenza-Induced ARDS

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a complex respiratory disease that can be induced by influenza virus infection. Critical care providers are uniquely positioned to manage this pathological progression in adult patients through evidence-based practice. Influenza and subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome are associated with extremely high morbidity and mortality in adult patients in the United States. Although evidence-based medical management strategies can alter the clinical trajectory of acute respiratory distress syndrome and improve outcomes, critical care providers do not always implement these measures. To provide critical care providers with an overview of the pathological progression of influenza-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome and the current evidence-based strategies for management. This article reviews the epidemiology and pathophysiology associated with influenza-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome, the criteria for diagnosis, and the evidence-based medical management.