Coronary care unit/ Cardiac Care Unit
DEFINITION
A coronary care unit (CCU) or cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) is a hospital ward specialized in the care
of patients with heart attacks, unstable angina, cardiac dysrhythmia and (in practice) various other
cardiac conditions that require continuous monitoring and treatment.
A cardiac care unit (CCU) is a specialized hospital ward designed to treat people with serious or acute
heart problems. People who undergo heart surgery also are placed in the CCU as they recover.
These wards are equipped to provide specialized treatment for heart conditions and are staffed with
medical personnel trained in cardiac care. In many hospitals, CCUs treat a growing number of patients
who, in addition to cardiovascular disease, have other chronic health issues that require management.1
For example, a 2017 retrospective review of 1042 patients admitted to a CCU revealed heart patients
there also had other chronic health issues including:
-Sepsis
-Acute kidney injury
-Acute respiratory failure
COMMON EQUIPMENTS IN CARDIAC CARE UNIT
PATIENT MONITORS
By broadening this definition, we can define a patient monitoring system as
any set of systems and/or process that enable healthcare providers to
monitor a patient's health. A classic example of a patient monitoring system is
an electrocardiography (“ ECG ”) machine that monitors the electrical activity
of the heart.
EKG MACHINE
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) records the electrical signal from your
heart to check for different heart conditions. Electrodes are placed on your
chest to record your heart's electrical signals, which cause your heart to beat.
The signals are shown as waves on an attached computer monitor or printer.
CATH LAB/ ANGIO
A catheterization laboratory, commonly referred to as a cath lab, is an
examination room in a hospital or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used
to visualize the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any
stenosis or abnormality found.
TABLES – FLUOROSCOPY
Fluoroscopy is a type of medical imaging that shows a continuous X-ray
image on a monitor, much like an X-ray movie. During a fluoroscopy
procedure, an X- ray beam is passed through the body.
C ARM- FLUOROSCOPY
C-Arm is a mobile imaging unit used primarily for fluoroscopic imaging during
surgical and orthopedic procedures. It also consists of a computer workstation
used to view, manipulate, store and transfer the images.
CARDIAC ULTRASOUND
Cardiac ultrasound, or echocardiography, is a procedure that the
interprofessional team should perform as needed to evaluate patients. It is a
non-invasive diagnostic modality that can provide detailed hemodynamic
information in a short period at the patient's bedside.
DEFIBRILLATOR
A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of
someone who is in cardiac arrest. This high energy shock is called
defibrillation, and it's an essential part in trying to save the life of someone
who's in cardiac arrest.
BALLOON PUMPS
An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a type of therapeutic device. It helps
your heart pump more blood. You may need it if your heart is unable to pump
enough blood for your body. The IABP consists of a thin, flexible tube called a
catheter.
CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS
Cardiopulmonary bypass is a technique in which a machine temporarily
takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, maintaining
the circulation of blood and the oxygen content of the patient's body. The
CPB pump itself is often referred to as a heart–lung machine or "the pump"
STRESS STEM SYSTEMS
Stress testing (sometimes called torture testing) is a form of deliberately
intense or thorough testing used to determine the stability of a given
system, critical infrastructure or entity. It involves testing beyond normal
operational capacity, often to a breaking point, in order to observe the
results.
INFUSION PUMP
An infusion pump is a medical device that delivers fluids, such as nutrients
and medications, into a patient's body in controlled amounts. ... They can
deliver nutrients or medications, such as insulin or other hormones,
antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and pain relievers.
VASCULAR DOPPLER
Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body's circulatory
system and help identify blockages in the arteries and veins and detect
blood clots. A Doppler ultrasound study – a technique that evaluates blood
flow through a blood vessel – is usually part of this exam.
AEDs
An AED is a lightweight, battery-operated, portable device that checks the
heart's rhythm and sends a shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.
The device is used to help people having sudden cardiac arrest. ... The
electrodes send information about the person's heart rhythm to a
computer in the AED.
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
A surgical instrument is a tool or device for performing specific actions or
carrying out desired effects during a surgery or operation, such as
modifying biological tissue, or to provide access for viewing it. Over time,
many different kinds of surgical instruments and tools have been invented.
