### Patient: Doctor, I've been having a cough and shortness of breath lately, and I've also been coughing up sputum. What could be causing this?
### Doctor: It sounds like you might have Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ARDS for short. This is a serious condition that can occur when fluid builds up in the small air sacs in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. It's often caused by an injury or infection to the lungs. We'll need to do some further tests to confirm the diagnosis, and possibly start treatment right away.