What is the Difference Between ARDS and Pneumonia

The key difference between ARDS and pneumonia is that ARDS is a critical medical condition that occurs when fluids build up in the air sacs of the lungs, while pneumonia is a critical medical condition that occurs due to the inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs.

ARDS and pneumonia are two different types of lower respiratory tract diseases. They occur due to a problem in the tiny air sacs of the lungs called alveoli. Both these medical conditions are very critical. Hence, they need to be treated immediately by a general practitioner in the emergency care unit.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is ARDS  
3. What is Pneumonia
4. Similarities – ARDS and Pneumonia
5. ARDS vs Pneumonia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – ARDS vs Pneumonia

What is ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)?

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a critical medical condition that occurs when fluids build up in the air sacs of the lungs. This fluid keeps the lungs away from filling with enough air properly. The fluid leaks from the smallest blood vessels in the lungs to air sacs due to severe underlying illnesses such as sepsis, inhalation of harmful substances, severe pneumonia, head, chest, or other major injuries, COVID-19, pancreatitis, massive blood transfusions, and burns. The symptoms of ARDS may include severe shortness of breath, labored, unusually rapid breathing, low blood pressure, confusion, and extreme fatigue. The complications that are involved in this condition include blood clots, pneumothorax, infections, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Moreover, ARDS can be diagnosed through physical examination, chest X-ray, CT scan, lab tests for infection or anemia, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. Furthermore, treatment options for ARDS may include supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation, carefully managing intravenous fluid, and medications for preventing infections, relieving pain and discomfort, preventing blood clots, and minimizing gastric reflux.

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is the swelling or inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs that may be due to a bacterial, viral, or other parasite infection. Pneumonia may involve mild to life-threatening complications. The symptoms of pneumonia include a cough, difficulty in breathing, rapid heartbeat, high temperature, feeling unwell, sweating, shivering, loss of appetite, chest pain, coughing, headaches, fatigue, feeling sick, wheezing, joint and muscle pain, confusion or disorientation in elderly people. Moreover, severe pneumonia can cause complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung abscesses, respiratory failure, and sepsis. Children who are under 2 years old or younger and people who are aged 65 or older are particularly affected by pneumonia.

Pneumonia can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, chest X-ray, pulse oximetry, sputum test, CT scan, and pleural fluid culture. Furthermore, treatment options for pneumonia are antibiotics, antiviral drugs, antifungal drugs, antiparasitic drugs, cough medicine (cough suppressants), and fever reducers/ pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen).

What are the Similarities Between ARDS and Pneumonia?

• ARDS and pneumonia are lower respiratory tract diseases.
• Both these medical conditions are due to a problem in the tiny air sacs of the lungs called alveoli.
• Severe pneumonia can cause ARDS.
• Both medical conditions can cause oxygen deprivation.
• They can cause similar symptoms, such as difficulty breathing and chest pain.
• Both these medical conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, and imaging tests.
• They can be treated through medications like antibiotics, pain relievers, and emergency care.

What is the Difference Between ARDS and Pneumonia?

ARDS is a critical medical condition caused due to the fluid build-up in the air sacs of the lungs, while pneumonia is a critical medical condition caused due to the inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs. Thus, this is the key difference between ARDS and pneumonia. Furthermore, ARDS is caused by fluid leaks from the smallest blood vessels in the lungs to air sacs due to severe underlying illnesses such as sepsis, inhalation of harmful substances, severe pneumonia, head, chest, or other major injuries, COVID-19, pancreatitis, massive blood transfusions, and burns. On the other hand, pneumonia is caused by bacteria, bacteria-like organisms (mycoplasma), viruses, fungi, and other parasites.

The below infographic presents the differences between ARDS and pneumonia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – ARDS vs Pneumonia

ARDS and pneumonia affect the lower respiratory tract. They specifically affect the air sacs of the lungs called alveoli. ARDS occurs when fluid builds up in the air sacs of the lungs. Pneumonia occurs due to the inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs. So, this summarizes the difference between ARDS and pneumonia.

Reference:

1. “Ards.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 Aug. 2022.
2. “Pneumonia.” NHS Choices, NHS.

Image Courtesy:

1. “ARDSSevere” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Symptoms of pneumonia” By Häggström, Mikael (2014).”Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014″. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.008. ISSN 2002-4436. (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia