%0 Journal Article %A Christopher Mason %A Nessa Dooley %A Mark Griffiths %T Acute respiratory distress syndrome  %D 2017 %R 10.7861/clinmedicine.17-5-439 %J Clinical Medicine %P 439-443 %V 17 %N 5 %X Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common cause of acute respiratory failure that is underdiagnosed both inside and outside of intensive care units. Progression to the most severe forms of the syndrome confers a mortality rate greater than 40% and is associated with often severe functional disability and psychological sequelae in survivors. While there are no disease-modifying pharmacotherapies for the syndrome, this progression may be prevented through the institution of quality improvement measures that minimise iatrogenic injury associated with acute severe illness. %U https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/17/5/439.full.pdf