AEMCA Practice Exam

What causes non-cardiogenic ARDS?

1. Heart attack and stroke

2. Trauma and drug overdose

3. Drowning and infection

4. Smoking and environmental pollution

The correct answer is: Drowning and infection

Non-cardiogenic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is primarily characterized by the presence of lung injury that is not directly caused by cardiac dysfunction. In this context, drowning and infection are significant contributors to the development of non-cardiogenic ARDS. Drowning leads to a significant amount of water entering the lungs, which can cause direct damage to the alveolar-capillary membrane, resulting in pulmonary edema and impaired gas exchange. Similarly, infections such as pneumonia can trigger an inflammatory response that harms lung tissue, causing fluid accumulation in the alveoli, impairing lung function, and leading to ARDS. Both scenarios depict how the lungs can be compromised due to factors unrelated to heart function, establishing a clear pathway for non-cardiogenic ARDS. Other factors like trauma and drug overdose can also lead to ARDS, but they are not as prominently linked to the specific non-cardiogenic mechanisms as drowning and infections. While smoking and environmental pollution can contribute to chronic lung conditions that may, in some cases, lead to ARDS, they do not directly relate to acute lung injury in the same way that drowning and infections do.