Critical care is providing specialized, continuous, and multidisciplinary care for patients undergoing a lifethreatening yet treatable condition, specifically one where vital organs of the body are at risk of failing. Critical care uses advanced therapeutic, diagnostic, and monitoring technology, maintaining organ system function and alleviating the patient’s condition for the eventual treatment of the underlying illness or injury.

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Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon
Critical Care: a Brief Introduction
Critical care is providing specialized, continuous, and
multidisciplinary care for patients undergoing a life-
threatening yet treatable condition, specifically one where
vital organs of the body are at risk of failing. Critical care
uses advanced therapeutic, diagnostic, and monitoring
technology, maintaining organ system function and
alleviating the patient’s condition for the eventual treatment
of the underlying illness or injury.
Critical care services are delivered by a specialized team of
healthcare providers in adult or pediatric intensive care
units, as well as a range of post-operative units. Commonly
found in these units are monitors, intravenous or IV tubes, catheters, feeding tubes, breathing machines, and other equipment. At its core is
the ICU, where healthcare professionals work around the clock to save the life of the critically ill patient.
This aspect of healthcare involves a very
intensive input of resources for a small
number of patients. In addition, it
occupies a proportionately huge fraction
of a hospital’s infrastructure, intended for
a small part of the in-patient population.
It should be noted, however, that critical
care is inappropriate for patents who
stand no realistic chance of recovery,
except in very rare instances. An example
is when the patient wishes to be an organ
donor, which usually entails a period of
critical care before donation.
While many patients here recover and survive, some die. There are those with advance directives, which assist doctors and family members
in making end-of-life decisions for the patients.
Dr. Lisa M. Cannon (https://twitter.com/LisaMarieCann0n) is an accomplished physician with a private practice in New Jersey. Her practice is focused
on providing diagnostic, treatment, and management options to patients with pulmonary and respiratory conditions like COPD, tuberculosis, and
pneumonia. Learn more about her practice areas on this site (http://drlisamariecannon.blogspot.com/).
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
DRLISAMARIECANNON
HEALTH
CRITICAL CARE, DOCTORS, HEALTH CARE, HOSPITALS
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