The paper reviews the state-of-the-art of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and current approaches to correcting respiratory failure. It highlights the historical and present-day data on the efficiency of extracorporeal membrane hemoxygenation, high-frequency ventilation, surfactant and inhaled nitric oxide therapy, and prone ventilation. The examinations have shown that ventilation in the prone position and extracorporeal membrane hemoxygenation not only improve gas exchange, but have a positive prognostic impact. The use of inhaled nitric oxide and surfactant achieves improved oxygenation for a while, but has no substantial effect on prognosis. The place of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in the treatment of patients with ARDS has not been fully determined as some examinations have indicated a positive prognostic impact and other examinations have shown none or a negative impact.