What are the symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome is a disease with a relatively high mortality rate, generally exceeding 50%. The disease is characterized by rapid onset, rapid onset of symptoms and high mortality. People who are susceptible to the disease include those with high blood pressure, lung injury, introduction of toxic substances, drug poisoning, and massive blood transfusions. After suffering from respiratory distress syndrome, the capillaries in the lungs will be damaged on a large scale, causing breathing difficulties and even respiratory failure. Now let’s talk about the symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome.

1. Symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome

1. Difficulty breathing

Respiratory rate and respiratory distress are the main clinical manifestations of ARDS. The respiratory rate usually occurs within 1 to 2 days of onset and increases progressively, often exceeding 28 times/min. In critical cases, the respiratory rate can reach 60 times/min. The breathing difficulty is extremely obvious, and symptoms of respiratory distress are present.

2. Cough, sputum, irritability and confusion

Coughing up sputum and coughing up bloody sputum is one of the typical symptoms of ARDS. Due to hypoxia and respiratory distress, most ARDS patients begin to show irritability, confusion or indifference in the early stages.

3. Physical signs

The respiratory rate is fast, and as the symptoms worsen, cyanosis and the "three-depression sign" of inhalation appear, and dry and wet rales can be heard in the lungs of some patients.

The typical clinical course of ARDS can be divided into four stages: the first stage, also known as the acute injury stage, is a latent period, mainly characterized by the clinical manifestations of the primary disease; the second stage, also known as the stable stage, is 24 to 48 hours after onset, with an increased respiratory rate, moist rales audible in the lungs, and a decreased PaO2; the third stage is the acute respiratory failure stage, during which the disease progresses rapidly. Increased dyspnea and respiratory distress. PaO2 decreases progressively and is difficult to correct with oxygen administration, and typical diffuse foggy infiltration shadows appear on the chest X-ray; in the fourth stage, there is severe hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention, which eventually leads to heart failure, shock, coma, and severe hypoxia leading to death.

2. Dietary considerations for respiratory distress syndrome

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients are often malnourished and should be given nasogastric feeding and intravenous hypernutrition to maintain adequate energy supply and avoid metabolic function and electrolyte disorders.

Pay attention to proper nutrition, eat more high-protein, high-vitamin foods, avoid stimulation from tobacco and alcohol, as well as greasy foods, high-fat foods, spicy foods, etc. Avoid foods that can easily irritate the body, such as cola, junk food, sugar, white wheat flour products, potato chips, and pickled meat.