Which of the following statements accurately describes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

A. ARDS is a progressive form of acute respiratory failure where the alveolar-capillary membrane becomes damaged and more permeable to intravascular fluid: This is the accurate pathophysiology of ARDS. The damaged alveolar-capillary membrane allows fluid to leak into alveoli, impairing gas exchange. B. ARDS is a chronic and slowly progressive form of respiratory failure: ARDS is acute, not chronic, and progresses rapidly, often within 12–48 hours of the triggering event. C. ARDS is primarily caused by bacterial infections in the lungs: Although pneumonia can be a trigger, ARDS can result from many causes, including sepsis, trauma, aspiration, and pancreatitis—not only infections. D. ARDS occurs when the alveolar-capillary membrane becomes less permeable to intravascular fluid: In ARDS, the membrane becomes more permeable, not less, which leads to non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema.