A Primer on Critical Care for Patients and Their Families

The ATS Critical Care Assembly has developed a series of short explanations of illnesses and procedures that are commonly seen in the Intensive Care Unit. The explanations can be printed and given to patients or used as a template for discussion. Click below to access them.

• Introduction
• General Information
  • What is the purpose of an intensive care unit?
  • Expectations
• Common Illnesses of Critically Ill Patients
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Pulmonary System
  • Kidneys
  • Gastrointestinal System
  • Nervous System
  • Infections
  • Multiple System Organ Failure
• ICU Devices and Procedures
  • General Information
  • Catheterization of the Urinary Bladder (Foley Catheterization)
  • Stomach Tubes
  • Arterial Catheterization
  • Central Venous Catheterization
  • Right Heart Catheterization
  • Mechanical Ventilator
  • Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation
  • Tracheostomy (Putting a Breathing Tube Through a Small Hole in the Throat)
  • Lumbar Puncture (Taking a Sample of Fluid From Around the Spinal Cord)
  • Paracentesis (Taking a Sample of Fluid From the Abdomen)
  • Thoracentesis (Taking a Sample of Fluid From Around the Lungs)
  • Chest Tube Thoracostomy
  • Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy
  • Hermodialysis
  • Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Code Status
• Making Decisions About the End of Life
  • Advance Directives State-Specific Directory
  • Description of Different Advance Directives
  • Related Ideas
    • Medical Futility
    • Hospital Ethics Committee
• Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatments
• Common Approaches in Critical Care
• Commonly Asked Questions
• Credits