ACUTE CHEST SYNDROME (ACS)

 
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What is acute chest syndrome?

Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a lung-related complication of sickle cell disease that can result in death.

 

Common symptoms of ACS include:

 

◦ Fever

◦ Cough

◦ Trouble breathing (fast, hard breathing)

◦ Chest pain

 
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Can ACS be prevented?

Expanding your lungs using an incentive spirometer, especially when you have pain, can help prevent ACS.

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ACS can be caused by:

  • An infection in the lungs (pneumonia).

  • Blood clots or sickled cells blocking blood ow to the lungs.

  • Too much fluid in the lungs

  • Pain – it can be hard to take deep breaths.

    People who have asthma are at greater risk, as are people who have just had surgery.

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Treatment

  • You will be admitted to the hospital so you can be watched closely for difficulty breathing, low blood counts, low levels of oxygen in your blood, worsening chest X-ray results, and other complications. You may get:

  • oxygen

  • an incentive spirometer (expands your lungs so you can breathe better)

  • pain medicine

  • antibiotics

  • a blood transfusion

  • an exchange transfusion

 
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Can ACS be prevented?

  • Expanding your lungs using an incentive spirometer, especially when you have pain, can help prevent ACS.

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ACS checklist

For you and your health care provider

Medicines:

🄯 Talk with your provider about the medicines you are getting. The usual medicines given for ACS are antibiotics by mouth or through a vein to fight the infections. Your provider can give you more information about these medicines.

Common antibiotics include:

• cephalosporin

• macrolide

Oxygen levels:

🄯 If you have lower oxygen saturation levels, trouble breathing, or worsening lung x-ray results, talk with your provider about blood transfusions.

  • If your hemoglobin is low, you may need only a simple transfusion.

  • If your hemoglobin is higher, you may need a red cell exchange transfusion.

🄯 You may need to wear oxygen to keep your oxygen saturation in a higher range. You will also be encouraged to use an incentive spirometer frequently to help expand your lungs.

Incentive spirometer:

🄯 If you are admitted to the hospital for any reason, talk with your provider and get an incentive spirometer.

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SECTION OVERVIEW

  • Symptoms include fever, cough, trouble breathing, and chest pain.

  • If you are admitted to the hospital for any reason, use an incentive spirometer to help your lungs work better.

  • Medicines for ACS are antibiotics taken by mouth or through a vein.

  • If you have low oxygen levels, trouble breathing, or worsening lung x-ray results, talk with your provider about a blood transfusion.