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What Is a Coronary Intensive Care Unit?

The coronary intensive care unit 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. The CCU medical team is highly specialized in treating heart problems.

Each patient admitted to the unit is hooked up to a heart monitor. This allows the patient's heartbeat and other vital signs to be monitored from a central area.

The major concern of the coronary care unit is to improve the health of the critically ill heart patient. Treatments may include medicines to control blood pressure, open blocked arteries, or treat abnormal heart rhythms. Blood work or other tests may be done to determine if the problem really is related to the heart. Heart attack patients stay in the unit until they are stable.

Visiting hours may be limited. The coronary care unit nurse will discuss visiting times with family members. Rehabilitation and education begin for heart attack patients while they are in the unit. These are continued during the hospital stay and after the patient leaves the hospital.

The best support that family members can give to the heart patient is to help the patient think positively about the future.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. HIL File CARD4291.RF2 VRS# 6101 Data Version 7.0
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