Treatment in Intensive Care

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IC treatment deals with the most critical cases and involves special procedures and monitoring

Treatment in Intensive Care

Intensive care usually takes place in intensive care units (ICUs). It refers to the specialized, intensive treatment given to patients who are acutely and life-threateningly unwell. It is reserved for patients who require the most critical medical care.

Most patients in ICU are there as emergency admissions due to severe injuries (i.e. from car accidents). Heart attacks, strokes, and other sudden and critical deterioration to one’s health are other common causes of emergency admissions.

Some patients have a planned admission following major surgery and other serious treatments. Unless you are an emergency admission, you will need a referral/planned admission from a doctor or medical specialist to be admitted to a hospital’s ICU.

What to Expect from Intensive Care Treatment

An Intensive Care Unit is the most critically functioning operational environment in a hospital. ICU teams are made up of elite, multi-disciplinary medical professionals trained to provide intensive care for a variety of surgeries, traumas, and critical medical conditions.

Some hospitals have ICUs that specialize in treating specific conditions and injuries. Some such specialized ICUs include:

  • Major burns units
  • Organ transplant units
  • Cardiothoracic surgery units (treating conditions of the heart and lungs)
  • Respiratory failure units.

The environment of each ICU will reflect the specialist medical procedures performed there. ICUs are extremely sterile and have a high concentration of specialized technical and monitoring apparatus.

Intensive Care Equipment

The ICU of a hospital in a developed nation will likely have state-of-the-art medical equipment. Equipment and apparatus may differ depending on the specific kind of ICU in question. A typical general-purpose ICU will include heart monitors, ventilators, and other breathing-assistance equipment, a dialysis machine and tubing for intravenous infusions. There are many other kinds of specialized equipment that may be used for treatments in intensive care.

Intensive Care Staff

Due to the critical nature of their work, surgeons, nurses and other medical specialists tend to be highly trained and capable. Most are used to dealing with a wide variety of situations. For example, some patients may become aggressive (especially due to brain injury). Doctors in ICU understand the causes and how best to handle them.

Some ICUs have a dedicated counselor to provide support for patients and their families.

Intensive Care Insurance

Receiving crucial treatment in intensive care will be covered – at least in part – by any comprehensive medical scheme. But different health plans have different kinds of cover and differing rates. Use CompareInsurance to search and compare all insurance types and offers. CompareInsurance simplifies the process of finding the best medical scheme for you and your family.

In this article


What to Expect from Intensive Care Treatment

Intensive Care Equipment

Intensive Care Staff

Intensive Care Insurance
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