expression

intensive care

hospital care for patients in critical condition

In more detail

1. (noun) a hospital department that provides continuous care and monitoring for patients who are very seriously ill or injured

2. (noun) the treatment and monitoring given to critically ill patients in this setting

Examples

1. After the accident, she was admitted to intensive care for several weeks.
2. The patient required intensive care because of severe burns.

How to use intensive care

Intensive care refers both to the specialized hospital department and the continuous, high-level medical monitoring and treatment provided there for patients with life-threatening conditions. It is used in clinical, medical, and general contexts to describe care for the critically ill. The acronym ICU is widely used in both professional and everyday speech as a shorthand.

Common phrases

intensive care unit
intensive care patient
in intensive care
intensive care ward
admitted to intensive care
discharged from intensive care

Synonyms

critical care · acute care · high-dependency care · ICU (intensive care unit)

Word family

intensively (adverb) · intensify (verb) · intensity (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'intensive care' when they mean general hospital care or routine treatment; intensive care is specifically for critically ill patients requiring constant monitoring and intervention.

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