Any illness that threatens life requires critical care. Poisoning, surgical problems, and premature birth are a few causes of critical illness. Critical illness includes:

Illness that affects the heart and all of the vessels that carry blood to the body, such as:

• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Shock
• Arrhythmia
• Congestive heart failure

Illness that affects the lungs and the muscles used for breathing, such as:

• Respiratory failure
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolus

Illness that affects the kidneys, such as:

• Kidney failure

Illness that affects the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and other parts of the body that carry food, such as:

• Bleeding
• Malnutrition

Illness that affects the brain and the spinal cord and nerves that connect the brain to the arms, legs, and other organs, such as:

• Stroke
• Encephalopathy

Infection caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus, such as:

• Sepsis
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia
• Catheter-related infection
• Drug-resistant infection

Multiple organ failure

A serious injury also requires critical care, whether the result of:

• A car crash
• A gunshot or stabbing wound
• A fall
• Burns

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a special part of the hospital that provides care to patients with severe, life-threatening injuries or illnesses. ICUs have higher nurse-to-patient ratios than other parts of the hospital. They also can provide specialized treatments, such as life support.

Critical care is the long-term treatment of patients who have an illness that threatens their life. Emergency medicine is the short-term treatment of those patients; it is also the treatment of patients who have a minor injury (for example, sprained ankle, broken arm).

In the emergency department, doctors and nurses stabilize patients and then transport them to the intensive care unit (ICU) or another area of the hospital for further treatment.

There are many reasons that patients may be treated in the ICU. The most common ones are shock, respiratory failure and sepsis.

Patients in the ICU are very sick. They are often connected to many monitors that allow healthcare professionals to monitor their vital signs on a minute-to-minute basis. Patients often have intravenous tubes (IVs) in their arms and neck so that medications and fluids can be delivered directly into their veins. They often have a tube placed into the body to drain and collect urine. Some patients are also connected to life support machines, such as breathing machines or dialysis machines. Patients may also have a tube through their nose or mouth to deliver liquid food directly into the stomach. In order to tolerate the tubes, IVs, and life support, many patients receive sedating medications.

Yes, patients often experience difficulty with everyday tasks such as shopping or balancing their checkbook. A recent study demonstrated that more than half of patients had difficulty thinking (also known as cognitive impairment) one year after having a critical illness. One-third of patients had cognitive impairment similar to that of someone who had had a traumatic brain injury, while one-third had cognitive impairment similar to that of someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

Your family doctor is an important link between the care team and you.

The family doctor has a complete medical history of the patient, is often trusted by the family, and may be aware of the patient’s values, attitudes and healthcare preferences. The care team often works closely with the family doctor to determine pre-existing illness, allergies, use of medications, and other factors which may influence the health of the patient.

Critical care is the long-term treatment of patients who have an illness that threatens their life. Emergency medicine is the short-term treatment of those patients; it is also the treatment of patients who have a minor injury (for example, sprained ankle, broken arm).

In the emergency department, doctors and nurses stabilize patients and then transport them to the intensive care unit (ICU) or another area of the hospital for further treatment.