Brief description of media:

Since critical care began over 50 years ago, there have been tremendous advances in the science and practice that allow more severely ill and injured patients to survive. Each year, millions of people are discharged back to the community. The recognition of long-term consequences for ICU survivors and their families is a growing concern. Critical care practitioners have always known that the patients have a long road to recovery after discharge from the ICU. In the 2 past decades, research has revealed how remarkably common and devastating long-term consequences of critical illness can be and how much some patients and their families suffer (1–9).
These consequences in patients are referred to as postintensive care syndrome (PICS) and in families as postintensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F) (1).
The research findings are disturbing and a source of dis tress to critical care practitioners. In response, they are work ing hard to identify the risk factors for PICS and are rapidly implementing ways to mitigate their impact. Although the critical care community is becoming increasingly aware of PICS, patients, families, and the posthospital care community need more information. They are the ones who are deal most directly PICS and PICS-F.
There are three key emerging concepts driving these initiatives: a focus on safe transitions and handoffs, an emphasis on family-centered care, and the acceptance that critical care is defined by the whole episode of care, not just the ICU stay. It is clear that those in the field of critical care have a responsibility to increase the awareness and to work with those who care for patients post-ICU to identify and treat the consequences of critical illness in patients and families.

Brief description of media:

Since critical care began over 50 years ago, there have been tremendous advances in the science and practice that allow more severely ill and injured patients to survive.Each year, millions of people are discharged back to the community. The recognition of long-term consequences for ICU survivors and their families is a growing concern. Critical care practitioners have always known that the patients have a long road to recovery after discharge from the ICU. In the 2 past decades, research has revealed how remarkably common and devastating long-term consequences of critical illness can be and how much some patients and their families suffer (1–9). These consequences in patients are referred to as postinten-
sive care syndrome (PICS) and in families as postintensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F).

Brief description of media:

Since critical care began over 50 years ago, there have been
tremendous advances in the science and practice that
allow more severely ill and injured patients to survive.
Each year, millions of people are discharged back to the community. The recognition of long-term consequences for ICU survivors and their families is a growing concern. Critical care practitioners have always known that the patients have a long road to recovery after discharge from the ICU. In the 2 past
decades, research has revealed how remarkably common and
devastating long-term consequences of critical illness can be
and how much some patients and their families suffer (1–9). These consequences in patients are referred to as postintensive care syndrome (PICS) and in families as postintensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F) (1).

Brief description of media:

Medical advances over the past few decades have led to an overall decrease in patient mortality for those experiencing a traumatic health challenge. Research on long-term health out comes post-traumatic illness has shown there is an increase and worsening of functional morbidity resulting from the critical illnesses and associated therapies and treatments experienced by patients.Pollack et al.(2014) estimates morbidity (the rate of ongoing clinical health challenges) to be as high as4.8%, twice the rate of mortality. Preventing or reducing mortality is no longer the sole outcome measure for effectiveness of critical care interventions(Herrup et al.,2017). Rather, ensuring optimal long-term health outcomes post-trauma are a major focus of current healthcare interventions in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Brief description of media:

When a COVID-19 survivor leaves the hospital, recovering physically may not be the only feat they’re faced with overcoming. For many patients who have undergone intensive care, studies have shown that there is also a likelihood for cognitive and psychological complications, which can linger for months, or even years.

Brief description of media:

The number of ICU patients admitted annually continues to grow, with most recent estimates reaching 5.7 million. As there are growing numbers of critically ill patients, sepsis survivorship also has grown as a substantial public health concern, with a significant number of survivors diagnosed with post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). PICS is defined as a new or worsening impairment in mental, cognitive, or physical health status after critical illness and lasting beyond hospitalization for acute care. It is important to go beyond saving lives in the ICU and devote additional time and attention to preventing and treating the psychiatric, cognitive, and physical sequalae of ICU illness in the follow-up setting.

Brief description of media:

American Nurse Today article notes that at least one-third of ICU patients and families experience PICS and half still need care after 1 year. Discusses the SCCM ABCDEF guidelines for care.

Brief description of media:

At least one-third of ICU patients and their families experience PICS or PICS-F. Incidence is at least 50% among patients who’ve had sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome or were on a mechanical ventilator for more than 5 days. At least half of PICS patients still need some form of care 1 year after hospital discharge. The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in our understanding of the long-term effects of critical illness on patients and their families. As our PICS knowledge base continues to expand, the challenge is to inform healthcare providers who care for critically ill patients during and after their hospital stay of the potential consequences of ICU admission.

Brief description of media:

At least one-third of ICU patients and their families experience PICS or PICS-F. Incidence is at least 50% among patients who’ve had sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome or were on a mechanical ventilator for more than 5 days. At least half of PICS patients still need some form of care 1 year after hospital discharge. The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in our understanding of the long-term effects of critical illness on patients and their families. As our PICS knowledge base continues to expand, the challenge is to inform healthcare providers who care for critically ill patients during and after their hospital stay of the potential consequences of ICU admission.

Brief description of media:

A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing moment marked by uncertainty. As patients and their families prepare for treatment, they may not know what to expect, though it’s important to remember that the five-year survival rates for many types of cancer have risen dramatically over the last several decades.

A remission or recovery from cancer can bring about great happiness and relief. However, for some people, it may be the beginning of another set of hurdles, particularly if treatment involved time spent in intensive care.

Brief description of media:

The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms ranges from 17% to 44% in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. The relationship between the comorbidity of psychiatric symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in ICU survivors has not been carefully examined. This study examined the relationship between psychiatric comorbidities and QoL in 58 survivors of ICU delirium. Patients completed 3 psychiatric screens at 3 months after discharge from the hospital, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire for anxiety, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS-10) questionnaire for posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients with 3 positive screens (PHQ-9 ≥ 10; GAD-7 ≥ 10; and PTSS-10 > 35) comprised the high psychiatric comorbidity group. Patients with 1 to 2 positive screens were labeled the low to moderate (low-moderate) psychiatric comorbidity group. Patients with 3 negative screens were labeled the no psychiatric morbidity group. Thirty-one percent of patients met the criteria for high psychiatric comorbidity. After adjusting for age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, discharge status, and prior history of depression and anxiety, patients who had high psychiatric comorbidity were more likely to have a poorer QoL compared with the low-moderate comorbidity and no morbidity groups, as measured by a lower EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire 3-level Index (no, 0.69 ± 0.25; low-moderate, 0.70 ± 0.19; high, 0.48 ± 0.24; P = 0.017). Future studies should confirm these findings and examine whether survivors of ICU delirium with high psychiatric comorbidity have different treatment needs from survivors with lower psychiatric comorbidity.

Brief description of media:

PICS/PICS-F overview for caregivers.