Aftermath of intensive care: the scale of the problem

摘要

The physical, psychological and cognitive after effects of critical illness can be profound. Physical recovery may take over a year in some cases. In addition, patients often have poor recall of factual events of their critical illness and yet have very clear frightening delusional memories. This can result in high levels of anxiety, depression, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have shown that some patients are left with significant cognitive impairment, which may affect their ability to care for themselves and return to normal life. This review examines some of the evidence for the after effects of critical illness and looks at the scale of the problem.