Fast Facts
- Research finds that one-quarter of patients who survive a critical illness and an ICU stay experience PTSD.
- Researchers are looking into using ICU diaries as a promising therapeutic tool to prevent PTSD in ICU survivors.
- Existing psychological problems, large amounts of sedation and reports of frightening ICU memories appear to contribute to the increased risk of PTSD in ICU survivors.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is often thought of as a symptom of warfare, major catastrophes and assault. It's rarely considered in patients who survive a critical illness and stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, in a recent Johns Hopkins study, researchers found that nearly one-quarter of ICU survivors suffer from PTSD. They also identified possible triggers for PTSD and indicated a potential preventive strategy: having patients keep ICU diaries. The findings will be published in the May issue of Critical Care Medicine.
"PTSD can drastically impact a person's ability to communicate and connect with others, truly interrupting their lives and preventing experiences of joy," says Joe Bienvenu, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "This is why our findings are important and why it's so critical that we continue to research ways to prevent PTSD."