What is a coronary care unit (CCU)?
A coronary care unit (CCU) provides high dependency care to those with serious heart issues. It is a mixed ward (men and women).
Cardiology (means heart medicine) doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have extensive training to work in a CCU. There is usually a low ratio of patients to staff in the CCU – e.g. one nurse for 2-3 patients.
What types of heart condition are managed in a CCU?
You may need treatment or monitoring in a CCU if you have:
- Had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or unstable angina (can happen as a warning for a heart attack)
- Heart failure
- Other serious heart disease – such as a disturbance in heart rhythm (called an arrhythmia, which can be too fast or slow),
- A heart infection
- Had heart surgery.
