Post-intensive care syndrome: A crash course for general practice.

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) refers to a constellation of cognitive, psychiatric and physical symptoms experienced by patients during and following a period of critical illness. As many as 50% of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors are affected, and symptoms can persist for months to years. When psychological symptoms are experienced by patients' loved ones, this is termed PICS-family (PICS-F).

Objective: The aim of this article is to summarise the key facets of PICS and PICS-F with a focus on incidence and pathophysiology.  DISCUSSION: The amalgam of symptoms in PICS has a profound impact on the quality of life of affected ICU survivors. The number of patients with PICS is expected to rise considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary care practitioners are ideally situated to assist in early diagnosis and treatment.