ICU Intel

Bust myths. Test your IQ. Discover facts that might just save a life. Medical science made fascinating — from the desk of a 30-year intensive care specialist.

🔬 Bust Myths 🧠 Take the Quiz 📊 Explore Facts

🦠 Sepsis kills 11 million people annually — more than all cancers combined ··· 🫀 ECMO circuits can oxygenate blood outside the body at 5–7 litres per minute ··· 💨 Lung-protective ventilation (6 mL/kg) reduces ARDS mortality by 22% ··· 🧪 ICU patients have a 50% chance of developing delirium during their stay ··· ⏱️ Every hour of delay in sepsis antibiotics increases mortality by 7% ··· 🧠 1 in 4 ICU survivors develop PTSD after discharge ··· 💊 Overuse of antibiotics creates resistant superbugs — antimicrobial stewardship saves lives ··· 🌱 Post-ICU Syndrome (PICS) can last years — physical, cognitive, and psychological ··· 🦠 Sepsis kills 11 million people annually — more than all cancers combined ··· 🫀 ECMO circuits can oxygenate blood outside the body at 5–7 litres per minute ··· 💨 Lung-protective ventilation (6 mL/kg) reduces ARDS mortality by 22% ··· 🧪 ICU patients have a 50% chance of developing delirium during their stay ··· ⏱️ Every hour of delay in sepsis antibiotics increases mortality by 7% ··· 🧠 1 in 4 ICU survivors develop PTSD after discharge ··· 💊 Overuse of antibiotics creates resistant superbugs — antimicrobial stewardship saves lives ··· 🌱 Post-ICU Syndrome (PICS) can last years — physical, cognitive, and psychological ···

Medical Myth Busters

Think you know the ICU? Tap a card to reveal the truth — some answers might surprise you.

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ICU IQ Quiz

10 questions. How much do you really know about what happens in an ICU?

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Ready to Test Your ICU IQ?

10 questions from the world of critical care medicine. No pressure — even doctors learn something new here!

ICU Facts & Stats

The numbers behind critical care — evidence that shapes how we save lives.

Sepsis deaths annually worldwide — more than all cancers combined

Reduction in ARDS mortality with lung-protective ventilation (ARMA Trial)

Of ICU patients experience delirium at some point during their stay

Increase in sepsis mortality for each hour of antibiotic delay

🫀 ECMO Facts

→ ECMO was first used successfully in 1971 by Dr. Robert Bartlett
→ A VV-ECMO circuit processes 5–7 litres of blood per minute outside the body
→ ECMO centre volume directly correlates with survival — high-volume centres see 55–70% survival
→ Only ~400 centres globally are certified ELSO ECMO centres

🦠 Sepsis Facts

→ The Sepsis-3 definition (2016) replaced SIRS criteria — qSOFA is now the screening tool
→ Lactate >2 mmol/L with suspected infection meets Sepsis-3 septic shock criteria
→ India accounts for 10–12 million sepsis cases annually — largely under-diagnosed
→ ICU-acquired infections affect up to 30% of admitted patients — prevention is critical

💨 Ventilation Facts

→ Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) increases ICU stay by 8–10 days on average
→ Prone positioning for 16+ hours/day reduces ARDS mortality by 16% (PROSEVA trial)
→ Only 6 mL per kilogram of body weight — the lung-protective ventilation tidal volume target
→ Daily spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) help identify readiness for extubation

🌱 Post-ICU Facts

→ PICS (Post-Intensive Care Syndrome) affects 30–50% of ICU survivors long-term
→ ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) affects 25–50% of patients mechanically ventilated >7 days
→ Early physiotherapy in the ICU (within 48 hours) dramatically reduces ICUAW incidence
→ ICU diaries kept by nursing staff reduce PTSD in survivors by up to 35%

Deep Dive: Read the Knowledge Hub →

All statistics are derived from peer-reviewed literature and reputable global health databases. Sources available on the Research page.