Abstract
As a syndrome of injurious pulmonary inflammation resulting in deranged respiratory
physiology, acute lung injury affords numerous potential therapeutic targets. Two
main pharmacological treatment strategies have arisen—the attempted inhibition of
excessive inflammation or the manipulation of the resulting physiological derangement
causing respiratory failure. Additionally, such interventions may allow the delivery
of less injurious mechanical ventilation. An emerging approach is the use of cell-based
therapy, which, rather than inhibiting the inflammatory process, seeks to convert
it from an injurious process to a reparative one. This review outlines previous, current,
and emerging pharmacological therapies for acute lung injury.
Keywords
acute lung injury - acute respiratory distress syndrome - pharmacotherapy
