Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Mnemonic

Mnemonic for the diagnostic criteria of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS):

Acute onset (less than 24 hours)

Ratio (PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 200)

Diffuse infiltrates (on chest x-ray)

Swan-Ganz catheter (to measure pulmonary capillary wedge pressure [PCWP] < 18)

Source:
"Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome." Pocket Medicine. Ed. Marc S. Sabatine. Fourth ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011. 2-22. Print.