Hola a todos, my dear friends.

A new editorial in Medicina Intensiva signed by one of the members of Proyecto HU-CI (Mari Cruz Martin) and Abelardo García de Lorenzo.

In this paper, authors talk about the postintensive care syndrome (PICS) incidence in patients and families. Family is another vulnerable population and many times we forget them. Their quality of life could also decline.

Family members can also suffer from anxiety (70%), depression (35%) or post-traumatic stress disorder (35%) which may last for years, and also different physical symptoms. Strategies to detect and prevent PICS require an early and multimodal approach at the ICU admission. This measures should permit the detection of risk factors, not only to prevent sequels in patients but also the family.

Knowledge about PICS in patients is increasing, but strategies which have shown scientific evidence in reducing the admission deleterious effects on families are scarce. ABCDEF supposes a global physolophical change in the management of critically ill patients, and the family integration in our care is the next step to follow.

Families and care providers of ICU survivors are their main support, and also an important costs-saving for the healthcare system.

That´s why we can´t forget families, and also because it´s possible to do it.