CriticalCare

Critical care is a branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis and management of life-threatening illnesses and injuries. It provides comprehensive, continuous monitoring and support for patients whose organ systems may fail or be at risk of failure, usually in an intensive care unit (ICU). The goal is to stabilize the patient, prevent secondary injury, and facilitate recovery through coordinated, goal-directed therapy.

Critical care is delivered by an interdisciplinary team that may include intensivists, critical care nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, social workers, and palliative care specialists. Care is data-driven and frequently involves continuous monitoring, rapid response to deterioration, and collaboration with other specialties as the patient’s condition evolves.

Common indications include sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, shock, trauma, post-operative complications, and multi-organ dysfunction. Treatments may involve mechanical ventilation, fluid and vasoactive medication management, renal replacement therapy, infection control, and advanced imaging and laboratory monitoring.

Care often emphasizes timely diagnosis, lung-protective ventilation strategies, minimization of sedation, delirium prevention, and early mobilization when feasible. Families and goals of care are integral to decision making, and ethics and palliative care considerations are regularly incorporated.

Training in critical care medicine typically includes residency in a primary specialty followed by an intensive care fellowship; ongoing research covers sepsis, ARDS, delirium, nutrition, rehabilitation, and post-ICU syndrome. Practices are guided by international and national guidelines aimed at standardizing care and improving outcomes.