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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

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  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rapidly progressive disorder that has symptoms of dyspnea, tachypnea and hypoxemia.
    • Associated with sepsis, pneumonia, trauma and aspiration
    • Most people who develop ARDS are already hospitalized in critical condition
  • Focus of treatment is oxygenating the organs
  • Use of the acronym “ARDS” will likely result in a query because coders cannot assume it means acute respiratory distress syndrome
  • To ensure capture of the diagnosis
    • The provider should document “Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome”
    • Synonymous terms in ICD-10 include:
      • Shock lung
      • Adult hyaline membrane disease

Download the complete tip, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.