What intensive care actually means

https://theanaesthesia.blog/?fbclid=IwAR39pXRXF5g8sSlTg4J9JIEQat-QHyZWGGC3ZTjGaOx7dFBK3RK6gJKEtY4

being admitted to the ICU is a traumatic experience. It often involves being anaesthetised and placing a tracheal tube with ventilation delivered by an increasingly scarce resource. Cannulas and catheters are placed into arteries and veins, the nose, and the bladder. Patients are given analgesia, vasopressors, antibiotics, fluids, neuromuscular blocking drugs and various other drugs. They are unable to move for themselves so must be turned regularly, including being nursed in the prone position for much of the time. If there is evidence of renal failure, their blood must be filtered with another limited resource: haemofilters. In their unconscious state they are unable to communicate with their families, but because of the contagious nature of the virus, no visitors are allowed anyway. This resource-intensive treatment is often initiated very quickly, but in patients with COVID-19, generally lasts for approximately 10 days. Some patients, particularly young patients who do not respond to treatment immediately, may remain in ICU for far longer. Around half of patients will survive their stay in ICU. For these the road to recovery is long. Patients will be weak, may have ongoing respiratory problems, and perhaps most importantly, the long-term psychosocial impact could be traumatic.

 

As someone who had very experimental open heart surgery in 1972 at Sheffield Children's Hospital I know what it is like. I was in hospital for 4 months, as a 7 year old.

 

His poor pregnant wife. Jees

 

Well that made me feel better

 

Sorry, I know it's hard hitting, but we've had posts that Boris Johnson's Covid-19 positive test was political (it wan't) and that his move to intensive care is precautionary (it isn't) and even MPs trying to play down the seriousness of this (they really shouldn't). This is what's happening.

 

If you're referring to my post, I wasn't saying that I thought his move to the ICU was a precaution, merely that that is what they are saying.

However, Beth Rigby on Sky News is saying that the PM is conscious. She's normally pretty good with this sort of information.

Wishing for the best for Boris and all that are in a similar condition.

 

Is that what happens on the move to ICU when you have coronavirus? Or is that a general thing that is standard practice when you move there for anything as well?

 

This is referring specifically to Covid-19 but the same practices are in place for many conditions as anyone who has visited a loved one unconscious in ICU will testify.

 

I'm not picking anyone out mate, that's not the point

 

Yes I just wasn't sure whether the article meant that being moved into intensive care automatically meant being anaesthetise etc or of for other illnesses people are in there but awake.

Fortunately I've never had to visit a family member in one

 

I wasn't thinking you were. I just didn't see anyone else mention ICU and precaution so just wanted to make sure I wasn't misunderstood

 

Even in ,normal, times you don’t get moved to icu unless things are getting desperate.

 

I've been a few times. I've never seen anyone who wasn't being cared for in the manner described above. But that doesn't mean it's always the case. However, with Covid-19 you need ICU because you need a ventilator because it's your lungs that are failing, so I'd be very surprised if there was anyone in ICU that wasn't in this position.

 

Think reported as conscious so hopefully just precautionary ?

 

That's a very good point. At the moment I imagine anyone not in a ventilator has been moved to something like high dependency units instead

 

No matter what your political persuasion - if anything happens to Boris then this country is psychologically going to be hit extremely hard.

 

My wife spent 18 days in ICU following a stroke and it was exactly as Jay has described. It was horrific and she was kept in an induced coma the whole time.

 

I think they have to sedate you to use the ventilator.

 

I agree and hope he pulls through.

 

my late son unfortunately had a couple of spells in ICU and having spent time with him I know exactly what it’s like