Also called: Also called: Intensive care
People with life-threatening injuries and illnesses need critical care. Critical care involves close, constant attention by a team of specially-trained health professionals. It usually takes place in an intensive care unit (ICU) or trauma center. Problems that might need critical care treatment include complications from surgery, accidents, infections and severe breathing problems.
Monitors, intravenous (IV) tubes, feeding tubes, catheters, ventilators and other equipment are common in critical care units. These can sustain life but can also increase the risk of infection.
While patients may recover, death is a possibility for people in critical care. Communication with health care providers and family members is an important part of making end-of-life decisions.
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JAMA Patient Page: Intensive Care Units(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/287/24/3326.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/287/24/3326/DC1/1
- Critical Care Questions(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - http://www.myicucare.org/Critical_Care_Questions/Pages/default.aspx
- Primer on Critical Care for Patients and Their Families(American Thoracic Society) - http://www.thoracic.org/sections/clinical-information/critical-care/patient-information/index.html
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Prolonging the Withdrawal of Life Support in the ICU Affects Family Satisfaction with Care
(10/15/2008, National Institute of Nursing Research) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2008/ninr-15.htm
- Early Mobility Best for ICU Patients(10/07/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70162.html
- Stress Disorder Affects 20% of Intensive Care Patients(09/17/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69395.html
- Findings Challenge Tight Glucose Control for Critically Ill Patients(08/26/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68575.html
- When a Loved One Needs Critical Care(American Association of Critical-Care Nurses) - Links to PDF - http://new.aacn.org/WD/PressRoom/Docs/icutip.pdf
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ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Ards/Ards_WhatIs.html
- Sepsis: What You Should Know(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - http://ssc.sccm.org/sepsis/what_you_should_know
- Arterial Catheterization(American Thoracic Society) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.thoracic.org/sections/education/patient-education/patient-education-materials/patient-information-series/resources/arterial.swf
- Central Venous Catheterization (CVC)(American Thoracic Society) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.thoracic.org/sections/education/patient-education/patient-education-materials/patient-information-series/resources/central-venous-catheter.swf
- Critical Care Team(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - http://www.myicucare.org/Critical_Care_Team/Pages/default.aspx
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JAMA Patient Page: Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/300/7/864.pdf
- Tracheostomy Care(American Head and Neck Society) - http://www.headandneckcancer.org/patienteducation/docs/tracheostomy.php
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Ventilator/Ventilator Support(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vent/vent_what.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Intensive Care(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=%22Intensive+Care%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Intensive Care Units(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Intensive+Care+Units%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tracheostomy(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=tracheostomy
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ventilators, Mechanical(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=mechanical+ventilators
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Retrospective evaluation of a computerized physician order entry adaptation to... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18829802&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Comparison of community and referral intensive care unit patients in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18828201&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Fetal outcomes of critically ill pregnant women admitted to the... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18828192&tool=MedlinePlus
- Critical Care -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=critical+care[majr]+OR+intensive+care+units[majr]+AND+adult[mh]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+child+health+services[mh]+OR+child[majr]+OR+infant[majr])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Critical care - children -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=critical+care[majr]+AND+(child[mh]+OR+infant[mh]+OR+adolescent[mh])+OR+intensive+care+units,pediatric[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+or+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Critical Care Glossary(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - http://www.myicucare.org/Critical_Care_Glossary/Pages/default.aspx
- Quick NICU Reference Guide(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21278_11036.asp
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
- Critical Care Statistics in the United States(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - Links to PDF - http://sccmcms.sccm.org/NR/rdonlyres/1FCD55C6-71B0-48CA-B652-31EBB61DD202/504/WebStatisticsPamphletFinalJune07.pdf
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Trauma and Shock(National Institute of General Medical Sciences) - http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Publications/Factsheet_Trauma.htm
- Common Diagnoses in the NICU(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/nicu_diagnoses.html
- Managing Home Health Care(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/machine.html
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Parenting in the NICU(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21295.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/prematuro/9324.asp
- Use of a Tracheostomy with a Child(American Thoracic Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.thoracic.org/sections/education/patient-education/patient-education-materials/patient-information-series/resources/tracheostomy-with-a-child.swf
- What Is a Neonatologist?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - Links to PDF - http://www.aap.org/family/WhatisPedNeonatologist.pdf
- What Is a Pediatric Critical Care Specialist?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - Links to PDF - http://www.aap.org/sections/critcare/WhatisaCritCareDoc.pdf
- What Is a Pediatric/Neonatal Critical Care Transport Team?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - Links to PDF - http://www.aap.org/sections/pem/PediatricTransportTeam_final.pdf
- When Your Baby's in the NICU(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/nicu_caring.html
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When Your Child's in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/picu.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/picu_esp.html
- Surgery and Rehabilitation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryandrehabilitation.html