A patient, admitted with lung contusions from a motor vehicle accident, is developing respiratory distress. The nurse recognizes the only difference between acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The only difference between ALI and ARDS is the severity of hypoxemia. In ALI, the partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO2) is between 200 mmHg and 300 mmHg, while in ARDS, it is less than or equal to 200 mmHg. Other clinical parameters, such as respiratory rate, injury severity, and level of inflammation, are similar in both conditions.

A Patient, Admitted with Lung Contusions from a Motor Vehicle