The Open Critical Care Medicine Journal

2010, 3 : 7-19
Published online 2010 April 08. DOI: 10.2174/1874828701003010007
Publisher ID: TOCCMJ-3-7

Pharmacological Therapy for Acute Lung Injury

Rob Mac Sweeney and Daniel F. McAuley
Respiratory Medicine Research Programme, Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queens University of Belfast, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland.

ABSTRACT

Many pharmacological therapies have been investigated for use in acute lung injury (ALI) and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). These therapies can broadly be classified as being either anti-inflammatory or physiology based. Despite promising pre-clinical and small clinical studies almost all therapies have been shown to be unsuccessful in large scale randomized controlled trials. The evidence for pharmacological treatment for ALI/ARDS is reviewed. Potential future treatments are also presented.

Keywords:

Acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pharmacological treatment, antiinflammatory, ventilation, alveolar function.