respiratory distress syndrome

noun

: a respiratory disorder chiefly of newborn premature infants that is characterized by deficiency of the surfactant coating the inner surface of the lungs resulting in labored breathing, lung collapse, and hypoxemia compare acute respiratory distress syndrome

Examples of respiratory distress syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her primary focus was on hyaline membrane disease, sometimes called respiratory distress syndrome, in which alveoli — tiny air sacs in the lungs — do not properly inflate. Matt Schudel, Washington Post, 3 July 2024 Acute care nurses These nurses provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions like heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome or shock. Brianna Herlihy, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2023 Cincinnati Children's has developed a number of medical innovations over the years, including the development of the Sabin oral polio vaccine, a vaccine to combat rotavirus, and the identification of surfactant proteins as a routine treatment for respiratory distress syndrome, among others. Brooks Sutherland, The Enquirer, 9 Mar. 2022 Detzel’s 4-month-old daughter had respiratory distress syndrome and had also been hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Jean Lee, NBC News, 28 Dec. 2022 These nurses provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions like heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome, or shock. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2022 For children, the costliest outcomes were preterm birth ($13.7 billion), developmental disabilities ($6.5 billion), and respiratory distress syndrome ($2.2 billion), a breathing disorder that affects newborns. Laurie Zephyrin, STAT, 25 Nov. 2021 Moms who took progesterone were also less likely to have babies with respiratory distress syndrome, one of the most dangerous problems for premature infants. Mark Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2021 The premature infant was diagnosed with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia and needed to be resuscitated at birth. NBC News, 27 Mar. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'respiratory distress syndrome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of respiratory distress syndrome was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near respiratory distress syndrome

Cite this Entry

“Respiratory distress syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respiratory%20distress%20syndrome. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

respiratory distress syndrome

noun
: a respiratory disorder that occurs in newborn premature infants and is characterized by deficiency of the surfactant coating the inner surface of the lungs, by failure of the lungs to expand and contract properly during breathing with resulting collapse, and by the accumulation of a protein-containing film lining the alveoli and their ducts
abbreviation RDS

called also hyaline membrane disease

see acute respiratory distress syndrome

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