Coronary Intensive Care Unit

What is a coronary intensive care unit?

The coronary intensive care unit (CICU) is a special area in the hospital where serious heart problems are treated. These special care areas may also be called coronary care units or CCUs. Members of the CICU medical team are experts in treating heart problems. The focus of the coronary care unit is to improve the health of critically ill heart patients.

What happens in CICU?

When you are admitted to the unit you are hooked up to a heart monitor. This allows your heartbeat and other vital signs to be monitored from a central area. A constant electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor will record the rhythm of your heart. While in the ICU, you may have the following tubes and wires in your body to help your recovery:

• a tube in your mouth or nose that goes into your lungs and is connected to a ventilator to help you breathe
• a tube through your nose and down to your stomach to drain out natural fluids that may cause discomfort until you are able to eat food again
• a catheter (thin, flexible tube) to empty your bladder
• intravenous (IV) tubes in your arms or neck so that you can be given fluids, nutrients, and medicines
• chest tubes to drain blood or fluids from inside your chest and to help detect bleeding in your chest
• a thin tube inserted into an artery in your wrist to measure the pressure of the blood flowing through your arteries (an arterial line)
• a pacemaker wire.

These tubes and wires will be removed when you no longer need them.

Treatments may include medicines to control blood pressure, to open blocked arteries, or to treat abnormal heart rhythms. Blood tests or other tests may be done to see if your problem really is related to your heart. If you had a heart attack, you will stay in the unit until you are doing well enough to need less intensive care.

Your rehabilitation and education starts while you are in the intensive care unit. You will gradually start exercising while you recover from a heart attack or cardiac surgery. This usually means stretching exercises and short walks. Nurses will watch you and check your blood pressure and pulse rate before and after exercise.

Visiting hours may be limited. The coronary care unit nurse will discuss visiting times with family members. The best support that family members can give you is to help you think positively about the future.