Psychiatric Morbidity After Critical Illness.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Critical Care Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Critical illness survivors frequently experience substantial psychiatric morbidity, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
• Pre-existing psychiatric conditions are potent predictors of psychiatric issues following critical illness.
• Early emotional distress and traumatic memories from intensive care unit (ICU) stays contribute to long-term psychiatric morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the psychiatric morbidity following critical illness.
• To identify risk factors for postcritical illness psychiatric morbidity.
• To explore potential interventions like ICU diaries.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on psychiatric outcomes after critical illness.
• Analysis of risk factors including prior psychiatric history and ICU experiences.
• Evaluation of the potential efficacy of ICU diaries.

Main Results:

• Substantial psychiatric morbidity is common in critical illness survivors.
• Prior psychiatric illness, early distress, and frightening ICU memories are significant risk factors.
• ICU diaries show potential for decreasing psychiatric morbidity.

Conclusions:

• Critical illness survivors are at high risk for psychiatric morbidity.
• Identifying and mitigating risk factors is crucial for patient recovery.
• Interventions such as ICU diaries warrant further investigation and study.