The most devastating complication of SARS-CoV-2 is acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure which requires mechanical ventilation. There can be multiple causes that can lead to acute hypoxemic respiratory failure ranging from pulmonary edema, vascular occlusion, ventilation/perfusion mismatch, and hemoglobinopathies. The most important pathology is usually acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that eventually leads to hypoxemic respiratory failure in patients that are not maintaining oxygen saturation. The difference between COVID related ARDS and the usual ARDS is the injury site which is mainly the respiratory system involving the alveolar epithelial cells. Usually, the clinical symptoms don't correlate with the severity of imaging and laboratory findings. Lung compliance may be normal in some patients. The patients that progress towards acute respiratory failure are usually managed by mechanical intubation with tidal volume target of 6mL/kg PBW.
COVID-19-associated respiratory failure
COVID-19-associated heart failure
COVID-19-associated pulmonary embolism
COVID-19-associated cytokine storm
COVID-19-associated hemodialysis
COVID-19-associated Guillain-Barre syndrome
COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome
COVID-19-associated neutrophilia