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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another tip for families in intensive care.

Today, I want to answer another frequently asked question for families in intensive care that we get all the time, “Why is my loved one in an induced coma?” So, if you’ve ever found yourself wondering why is my loved one in an induced coma? You’re definitely not alone. It’s a distressing situation that many people face and it’s natural to have questions and concerns. In today’s video, we’ll explore the reasons why doctors may choose to induce a coma and shed some lights on this complex medical practice.

So first off, understanding induced comas, let’s take a closer look. An induced coma also known as a medically induced coma, or a therapeutic coma is a controlled and temporary state of unconsciousness. It is typically initiated and closely monitored by medical professionals in a hospital setting but why would they resort to such drastic measures? Let’s delve into some of the reasons.

Number 1, traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI.  One common scenario where induced coma is employed is in cases of severe traumatic brain injury when a loved one sustains a significant blow to the head, the brain can suffer extensive damage. To give the brain the best chance to heal and recover, doctors might decide to induce a coma by reducing brain activity. The coma helps minimize further injury and allows the brain to focus its energy on repairing itself.

Certainly, in my time in ICU, I’ve worked in intensive care for over 20 years in three different countries. Pretty much every patient that comes into ICU with a TBI is in an induced coma on a ventilator with a breathing tube to begin with.

Next, controlling seizures. Another situation where an induced coma might come into place when a person experiences persistent and severe seizures that do not respond well to conventional treatments. In such cases, inducing a coma can effectively suppress brain activity and hold the seizures. It provides an opportunity for the brain to reset and stabilize with the hope of mitigating the seizure activity once the coma is lifted. Again, I have certainly seen my fair share of induced comas for seizures in my time in ICU.

Let’s move on to Number 3, facilitating recovery after cardiac arrest. Surviving a cardiac arrest is undoubtedly a major medical event. The brain can suffer from a lack of oxygen during this critical time leading to potential complications. Inducing a coma in these cases can help protect the brain from further damage and promote recovery. It allows the medical team to carefully control various physiological parameters such as blood pressure and oxygen levels, ensuring optimal conditions for the brain to heal.

Adding on there is that many patients in ICU after cardiac arrest also go into therapeutic hypothermia, also known as cooling therapy. They often go into cooling therapy for 24 hours and then to be warmed up very, very slowly and gently.

So, the process of inducing a coma, now that we’ve covered some of the reasons behind induced comas, you may be curious about the process itself. Let’s take a look at what typically happens when a loved one is placed in an induced coma.

Before we go into that, as other situations that I haven’t mentioned yet where patients go into an induced coma, even for a process such as if anyone that really goes on a ventilator in intensive care with a breathing tube is being induced into a coma, quite frankly, because mechanical ventilation with a breathing tube is so uncomfortable. It can’t be tolerated often without a breathing tube.

So, for example, if someone goes into ICU with pneumonia needs mechanical ventilation with a breathing tube, they’re also induced into a coma. If someone goes into ICU with ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), the same happens. If someone goes into ICU after cardiac surgery, at least for the first 24 hours, they are induced in a coma and then gradually being let out of the induced coma.

Now, I have done a video podcast a few months ago, a couple of months ago with Kali Dayton from Dayton ICU Consulting. She’s a nurse practitioner in the United States. She says that in one ICU she worked in, they never induced patients into an induced coma when they needed ventilation with a breathing tube. So, go and check out that interview.

So, let’s now take a closer look at the process of inducing a coma.

Number 1, sedation and medication. Firstly, the medical team administers powerful sedatives and medications to induce and maintain the coma. These medications are carefully titrated to achieve the desired level of unconsciousness while ensuring stability and safety.

Number 2, monitoring and careful observation.  Once the coma is induced, the patient is closely monitored in an intensive care unit (ICU) or a specialized coma unit. This monitoring includes continuous assessment of vital signs, brain activity, and other relevant parameters. Regular imaging scans may also be conducted to evaluate the progress and response to treatment.

Number 3, gradual awakening. The duration of an induced coma can vary depending on the individual case. After a period of time, the medical team may gradually reduce the sedation and medications to awaken the patient. This process is done cautiously allowing the body and brain to adjust to the changes slowly.

Lastly, coping with the emotional impact. Having a loved one in an induced coma can be emotionally challenging for family members and friends. It’s crucial to take care of your well-being and seek support during this difficult time. Hospitals often provide resources such as counseling services or support groups to help you navigate through the emotional roller coaster. I hope that answers this question well.

From my experience, hospitals do not offer counseling and support, which is why I started intensivecarehotline.com to help you with counseling and support when you have a loved one in intensive care.

One of the reasons why I started the Intensive Care Hotline because after having worked in intensive care for over 20 years in three different countries, where I also worked as a nurse unit manager for over 5 years, I realized that hospitals are not offering counseling and support. So, in any case, that’s what we are here for.

We’ve been counseling and consulting and advocating for patients and families in intensive care for over 10 years now, all over the world. We’ve been getting amazing outcomes for our clients by helping families to get better outcomes, by helping families to make informed decisions, have control, power, influence, and most of all peace of mind. So, that’s what we do at intensivecarehotline.com.

We have helped countless patients in intensive care survive and there are so many case studies on our website that you can read under the “Your Questions Answered” section. Hundreds, potentially thousands of case studies by now where we literally saved lives because I simply did not want to give up on patients and families. We helped them turn it around by our consulting and advocacy and by often providing a second opinion.

So, if you have a loved one in intensive care, go to intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to [email protected] with your questions.

Also, have a look at our membership for families in intensive care at intensivecaresupport.org. There, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in the membership area and via email and we answer all questions, intensive care related.

I also offer 1:1 consulting and advocacy with families in intensive care directly. I talk to intensive care teams, doctors, and nurses directly on your behalf or with you. We can set up three-way calls, four-way calls, whatever is needed to help you and your family fast, I can do for you. I can also represent you in family meetings with the doctors and the nurses so that you have a medical/nursing consultant on your team because otherwise, you will fight an uphill battle if you don’t speak the intensive care secret language.

Now, if you need a medical record review while your loved one is in ICU and you need a second opinion in real time, please contact us as well. We can help you with that. If you need a medical record review after intensive care because you have unanswered questions, you need closure, or you’re simply suspecting medical negligence, please contact us as well.

Now, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families in intensive care, click the like button, click the notification bell, share the video with your friends and families, and comment below what you want to see next or what questions and insights you have from this video.

Thank you so much for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.