The paper summarizes data on modern approaches to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of severe acute parenchymal respiratory failure of various origins, including ARDS due to bacterial viral pneumonia. The work is based on the data of modern well-organized studies, analysis of international clinical guidelines with a high degree of evidence, as well as the results of our own long-term experimental studies and clinical observations of the treatment of patients with ARDS of various origins, including viral pneumonia of 2009, 2016, 2020. Scientifically grounded algorithms for prevention, differential diagnosis and personalized therapy of severe acute respiratory failure using innovative medical technologies and a wide range of respiratory and adjuvant treatment methods have been formulated. The authors tried to adapt as much as possible the existing current recommendations for the daily clinical practice of anesthesiologists and resuscitators.