The use of mechanical ventilation in septic patients with or without ARDS remains under the category of supportive care. It is the task of clinicians to properly manage the ventilated patient and to prevent complications and treat them as soon as possible, if they arise. All clinicians eagerly await the introduction of agents that will either attenuate the inflammatory response in patients with the septic syndrome prior to the development of ARDS or assist in the healing of the acute injury.