respiratory distress syndrome: Meaning and Definition of

res'piratory distress' syn"drome

1. Also calledan acute lung disease of the newborn, occurring primarily in premature babies and babies born to ill mothers, characterized by rapid breathing, flaring of the nostrils, inelastic lungs, edema of the extremities, and in some cases the formation of a hyaline membrane on the lungs caused by a lack of surfactant in the immature lung tissue.
2. Also calleda disorder, caused by an acute illness or injury that affects the lungs either directly or indirectly, resulting in stiffening of the lung tissue, pulmonary edema, and extreme shortness of breath. Abbr.: RDS