Long-term consequences of critical illness

A significant number of patients develop a critical illness requiring organ support each year. The vast majority of patients will survive to hospital discharge. However, these patients may take many months and even years to recover their pre-morbid level of function. Even at 12 months quality of life is significantly poorer than that of the general population, and many patients will not have returned to work. Patients may acquire a wide range of physical and psychological complaints related to their critical care stay, which may benefit from specialist referral. These problems however are often overlooked. Outcomes may potentially be improved by the implementation of an early individualized multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. Assessment and rehabilitation as indicated should begin whilst the patient is still in critical care and continue on the wards, and following hospital discharge into the community. Specialized critical care follow-up clinics may have a role in detecting and managing specific post-critical care morbidity.