respiratory issues

laura.jansenlaura.jansen
in CDI Talk Archive
Does anyone have a definition that would distinguish acute respiratory distress from acute respiratory failure?
Thanks,
Laura

Laura Jansen, RN, Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
St. Joseph's Hospital Breese, Southern Illinois Division

Comments

  • evanspx@sutterhealth.orgevanspx@sutterhealth.org
    * Acute respiratory failure - May be hypoxic or hypercapnic.

    A clinically significant decrease in Pao2. (Most commonly, the critical threshold of Pao2 is considered to be 60 mm Hg, which is an anchor point in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve) AND/OR
  • ssalinasssalinas
    edited May 2016
    Paul - If a physician documents acute respiratory distress, do you consider that ARDS?

    Sharon Salinas, CCS
    Barlow Respiratory Hospital
    213-250-4200 Extension 3336

  • Unknown
    edited May 2016
    Was it ARDS or respiratory distress you were looking for ?


    Tracey Carey RN
    Clinical Documentation Specialist
    UAMS
    501-686-7421
  • laura.jansenlaura.jansen
    edited May 2016
    I was looking for acute respiratory distress, not ARDS. I want to include this as an option in my query and I know the MD will ask me what's the difference between distress & failure & I want to have an answer ready. This patient came in with hypoxia, tachypnea, accessory muscle use, & decreased breath sounds on 4L of O2. She was being treated at the nursing home for pneumonia & she was hypoxic & gray there. Her ABG's were ph 7.38, pco2 44, po2 63, & hco3 25.4 on the 4L.
    Laura



  • evanspx@sutterhealth.orgevanspx@sutterhealth.org
    Since these are two different conditions, with distinct codes, I would not consider acute respiratory distress as ARDS.
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