NEW DELHI: The central government has issued guidelines for admitting patients in the intensive care unit. There must be specific reasons for admission to ICU.

The guidelines were prepared by 24 expert doctors in critical care medicine. This is to use the ICU judiciously and benefit those most in need. There are about 1 lakh ICU beds in India. Most of them are in private hospitals.

Following cases should be admitted

• Unconscious patient
• Those who need artificial respiration
• Patients who need constant monitoring
• Those who are likely to deteriorate after surgery
• Cases of complications during surgery

Cases that shouldn't be admitted

• Those who are not allowed to enter the ICU
• Patients suffering from diseases with treatment limitations
• Critically ill patients with medical decision that treatments show no effect