title: From the coronary care unit to the cardiovascular intensive care unit: the evolution of cardiac critical care.
abstract: This article presents an overview of the evolution of cardiac critical care in the past half century. It tracks the rapid advances in the management of cardiovascular disease and how the intensive care area has kept pace, improving outcomes and incorporating successive innovations. The current multidisciplinary, evidence based unit is vastly different from the early days and is expected to evolve further in keeping with the concept of 'hybrid' care areas where care is delivered by the 'heart team'.
authors.affiliation: The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: umesh.gidwani@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Umesh K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Gidwani
authors.forename: Annapoorna S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kini
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000639:trends*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000639:trends*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000639:trends*; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D061214:Patient Safety; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000639:trends
keywords: Cardiac critical care; Cardiovascular intensive care; Multidisciplinary heart care