Critical Care Medicine

Also known as intensive care medicine, critical care medicine is a medical specialty that deals with the provision of life support systems (including organ support) to critically ill patients who typically demand intensive monitoring, assistance, or care. Critical care is usually given to patients who are suffering from hemodynamic instability, respiratory conditions that require vital support, acute renal failure, high risk cardiac arrhythmias, and multiple organ failure. Resource intensive and expensive, critical care medicine in general is known for its use of advanced medical technology. It is also characterized by its system by system treatment approach. There are nine key systems in intensive care or critical care medicine: the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, endocrine system, gastro-intestinal tract (including nutritional condition), hematology (blood and blood forming organs), microbiology (including the sepsis status), renal and metabolic system, peripheries, and the respiratory system. This category lists websites of journals, publications, references, news and information sources, groups and organizations, as well as various other resources related to critical care medicine.