What's the difference between CCU AND CICU?

[VicChic]

What are the differences in terms of patient population and routine care between Coronary/Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) and Cardiac ICU (CICU)?

[begalli]

In my hospital we have a CCU and a CTICU.

The CCU is mainly medically treated heart patients.

The CTICU is cardiac surgery.

Many patients may first be admitted to the CCU with an MI but eventually end up in the CTICU after having a cabg for example.

Each hospital has unique names for their units. CCU and CICU could also very well mean the same thing with the same patient population.

[steelcityrn, RN]

Im thinking CICU is your coronary intensive care unit...I worked at one hospital that had more names for a critical care unit than you could count!

What are the differences in terms of patient population and routine care between Coronary/Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) and Cardiac ICU (CICU)?

[TREBORICUNURSE]

Same things - different names...( I think )

[Aneroo, LPN]

At my hospital, we have:

CIU (cardiac intermediate unit): Usually post MI, pre CABG, pre/post cardiac cath

CICU (cardiac intensive care unit): Post-code, MI's, also some medical ICU stuff flow over

CSICU (cardiac surgery intensive care unit): Post CABG

CSIU (cardiac surgery intermediate unit): Pre-CABG/open heart, post (1-2days) open heart

-There is also another floor for cardiac monitoring.

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

The letters have multiple meanings depending on where you work. Our unit is a CCU- Coronary Care Unit...our intensive care unit for heart related issues...we are rebuilding and the "new" unit will be calle CICU...Cardiac Intensive Care Unit to avoid confusion. We take both medical and surgical "intensive" cardiac problems.

Our neighboring hospital also has a "CCU"...but theirs stands for Critical Care Unit...they send their serious cardiac cases to us...they seem to be more of a medical/surgical ICU.

So to answer you question...it just depends on what system you are in!