The most important factor for treating<unk>  or ARDS is to treat the underlying cause of the injury to the lungs, for example pneumonia or sepsis. These patients will have problems with oxygenation, meaning they will likely need a breathing tube, medications to keep them comfortable (sedative, paralytic, and/or analgesic), and a mechanical ventilator to breathe for them. The mechanical ventilator will often be set to a setting of at least 5 cm H2O of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to keep the alveoli from collapsing during exhalation. Other treatments to improve oxygenation may include prone positioning or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Diffuse alveolar damage
Desquamative interstitial pneumonia
Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia
Usual interstitial pneumonia
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
Pulmonary interstitial emphysema
Hepatization of lungs
Air trapping