ICU Patient and Family Resources

Welcome to the Intensive Care page. Here you will find resources on ICU related conditions, information for caregivers, and additional resources on advance care planning and related concerns. Please click on the links below to learn more.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Cirrhosis

Common Problems of Critical Illness

Drug Encyclopedia
Search for information on medications given in the ICU

Heart Attack

Heart Failure

Mechanical Ventilators

Pancreatitis

Renal Failure (acute)

Sepsis:
Sepsis - What You Should Know
Additional Information

Stroke:
Stroke
Additional Information

Information for Caregivers
The Family Caregiver Alliance addresses the needs of families and friends providing long-term care at home to the ill and elderly, with online support groups, newsletters, education, and additional resources. Newsletter also available in Spanish.

Participating in Care: What Questions Should I Ask?

Taking Care of Yourself while a Loved One is in ICU

The Society of Critical Care Medicine Patient and Family web site has information about medical conditions, treatments, tests, equipment, drugs, medical terms and many other aspects of the ICU.

Why Do ICU Patients Look and Act That Way?

Additional Resources
Advance Care Planning
Patients can let their health wishes be known through an Advance Health Care Directive. You can learn more about the form, get instructions and download it here.

Decisions About End of Life Care

Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

Life Support Choices

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

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