Therapy for sickle cell disease

Therapy needs to include: • pain relief (for example, pethidine) – checking that respiration is not

depressed; • rehydration – intravenously or nasogastrically; • oxygen to restore oxygen saturation; • antibiotics – intravenously initially; • in very severe cases, artificial ventilation where there is respiratory failure.

Figure 15.1: non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in a patient with ARDS