Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Phenomena After Critical Illness.

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Psychiatry
• Trauma psychology

Background:

• Critical illness survivors face significant psychiatric morbidity, notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Understanding the patient's perspective is crucial for comprehending the impact of intensive care unit (ICU) stays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the prevalence and risk factors of PTSD in critical illness survivors.
• To illustrate the patient experience of critical illness and its psychological aftermath.
• To introduce ICU diaries as a potential supportive intervention.

Main Methods:

• A case study is presented from a patient's non-medical perspective to convey the experience of critical illness.
• Prevalence rates and risk factors for PTSD in survivors are discussed based on existing literature.

Main Results:

• Approximately one-fifth of critical illness survivors develop clinically relevant PTSD symptoms within a year post-ICU.
• Identified risk factors include pre-existing psychiatric conditions, benzodiazepine administration in the ICU, and distressing early memories from the ICU.

Conclusions:

• PTSD is a common and significant psychiatric complication following critical illness.
• Early identification of risk factors and supportive interventions like ICU diaries are important for patient recovery.
• ICU diaries offer a low-cost, accessible method to supplement psychiatric care for survivors.