Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Appropriate Patient Selection and Triage: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract

Cardiac intensive care units are specialized, high-acuity, and resource-intensive environments for the care of critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease. Over the past 60 years, medical and interventional therapeutic advances have improved survival and reduced the risk of life-threatening arrythmias in many common cardiovascular conditions. Nonetheless, some hospitals have maintained historical cardiac intensive care admission practices, resulting in admissions of low-acuity patients who could otherwise be cared for in a telemetry-equipped hospital ward environment. These triage practices may be partially attributable to a lack of guidance from international societies on contemporary cardiac intensive care admission standards. In this scientific statement, we propose cardiac intensive care triage practice standards for common cardiovascular conditions, summarize available prediction scores, and outline priorities for future health services research in this field.