Outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Rome
(Photo : Reuters)

Nic Brown, a 38 year old recovered patient, shared his experience as a COVID-19 patient in the ICU for weeks. He said, "Doctors talked to my wife about end-of-life options while I was hooked up in the ventilator. It was really emotional for all of us."

Majority of the patients infected by the virus may show mild to no symptoms, but those who experience severe complications may need to spend a few weeks in the ICU. 

According to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the hardest hit state in United States, they have about 20 to 30 patients on ventilators. 

The situation is similar at the Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans which has also become a hot spot for the coronavirus. Doctors in the state said that patients in their hospital are unable to recover in two to three days and often stay in mechanical oxygen for one to two weeks. 

Post-Intensive Care Delirium

Doctors who specialize in intensive care know that the longer the patient stays in the intensive care unit, the more they are likely to experience long-term physical, cognitive and emotional effects of being sedated. This is known as post-intensive care syndrome or post-ICU delirium. 

Dr. Amy Bellinghausen, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine expert at University of California, believes that about two-thirds of the patients in ICU will experience the said syndrome.

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Patients may be physically weak and may also experience post-traumatic stress. There is still no known exact cause of the post-ICU syndrome but experts believe that it can be due to lack of oxygen or blood in the patient's brain. They also see sedative medicines as a possible cause but it is vital for doctors to use in acute care. 

Dr. Bellinghausen shared an experience when one of her ICU patients said that the nurses where hooking poisonous snakes on his arms when in fact they were hooking him with an IV. She believes that when patients recover to the point of being discharged, cognitive issues may be observed. 

When people get out of the ICU, patients may experience as simple as not being able to know the schedule for the day but the depth of the issue may get worse the longer the patient stays in the ICU. 

How to Prevent Post-ICU Syndrome

Rehab for the brain may take for as long as six months. Doctors say that the best way to avoid post-ICU syndrome is making sure that patients are able to communicate with their loved ones. However, this may be a challenge for patients infected with COVID-19. 

ICU patients must have humans to orient, touch, look and make them understand what is happening. Patients with COVID-19 do not have the liberty of human interaction because they have to be isolated. 

Doctors observed a high number of recovered COVID-19 patients experience delirium in Italy and China, two of the most impacted countries of coronavirus. Aside from delirium, COVID-19 recovered patients may continue to struggle getting enough air in the lungs. 

With the technology we have today, COVID-19 patients in ICU may continue to interact with their families and friends reducing their risk of experiencing post-ICU syndrome.