- Direct Injury → Regional consolidation from destruction of alveolar architecture
- Indirect Injury → Pulmonary vascular congestion, interstitial edema and less severe alveolar involvement
- Characterized by systemic inflammation:
- Activation of complement and coagulation systems
- Stimulation of inflammatory cells
- Release of proinflammatory mediators
- Sequestration of neutrophils in microvasculature
- Endothelial and epithelial disruption
- Failure of hypoxic vasoconstriction resulting in severe hypoxemia
Symptoms
