Critical condition
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Critical Condition
Critical condition (/krɪtɪkəl kənˈdɪʃən/), also known as critical status or critical illness, is a medical term used to describe the most severe state of health for a patient. It is often used in ICU settings and indicates that the patient's vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits, and that the patient may be unconscious.
Etymology
The term "critical condition" is derived from the Greek word "kritikos" (κριτικός), meaning "able to discern or judge", and the Latin word "conditio", meaning "agreement" or "condition". In a medical context, it refers to a state where judgment or discernment is required to determine the patient's health status.
Related Terms
- Stable Condition: This is a term used to describe a patient whose vital signs are within normal limits and are not expected to change significantly in the near future.
- Serious Condition: This term is used to describe a patient whose vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. The patient is acutely ill, but not to the extent of being in a critical condition.
- Guarded Condition: This term is used when a prognosis is uncertain. The patient's vital signs may be stable or unstable and the outcome cannot be predicted.
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU): This is a department of a hospital where critically ill patients are cared for by specially trained staff.
- Vital Signs: These are measurements of the body's basic functions and include temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure.
See Also
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.