Beneficial therapeutic interventions for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) include lung protective ventilation; however, ventilator may cause or sometimes worsen acute cor pulmonale (ACP) induced by pulmonary gas exchange disorder and pulmonary vascular dysfunction due to ARDS. The incidence of ACP was 22–50% in mechanically ventilated patients. Currently, point-of-care ultrasound has been widely used in ARDS patients, which becomes much more important in the early detection and management of ARDS and its complications. Application of lung ultrasound combined with echocardiography could monitor respiratory status, hemodynamics, and cardiac function and optimize the ventilation setting in order to protect both lung and right ventricle. This chapter will discuss the pathophysiology of ACP associated with ARDS and the use of point-of-care ultrasound to make protective strategies for lung and right ventricle in detail.
Part of the book: Update in Respiratory Diseases