Acute lung injury (ALl) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are common, life - threatening causes of acute respiratory failure that arise from a variety of local and systemic insults. The pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS is complicated and not yet completely interpreted today. The role of altered coagulation and fibrinolysis in the pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS has been investigated. This review will summarize the current understanding of coagulation and fibrinolysis in human ALI/ARDS with emphasis on pathways that could be potential therapeu...