What Is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome?
7. Blood Clots
As mentioned, patients with ARDS are likely to be placed on a ventilator. This will mean that they are spending long periods of time motionless, and this can cause further complications. For example, the lack of movement can cause blood to slow down in certain areas, and this can cause blood clots.
A blood clot can prevent the blood from flowing to certain areas of the body. It can also break away and travel through the patient’s system until it becomes stuck and blocks the flow of blood to the lungs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism, and it is itself a life-threatening condition.
Advertisement
