Critical care in the ED: potentially fatal asthma and acute lung injury syndrome

Rick Hodder*Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada, *Dr Rick Hodder passed away on Tuesday April 17,2012. Please see the Dedication for more information on Dr Hodder.Abstract: Emergency department clinicians are frequently called upon to assess, diagnose, and stabilize patients who present with acute respiratory failure. This review describes a rapid initial approach to acute respiratory failure in adults, illustrated by two common examples: (1) an airway disease – acute potentially fatal asthma, and (2) a pulmonary parenchymal disease – acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. As such patients are usually admitted to hospital, discussion will be focused on those initial management aspects most relevant to the emergency department clinician.Keywords: acute asthma, acute lung injury, ARDS, acute respiratory failure