Bioethical Problems in Intensive Care Units

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleΒιοηθικά προβλήματα στη Μονάδα Εντατικής Θεραπείας (ΜΕΘ)
3. Language term Greek, Modern (1453-)
4. lemma author Katsiampoura, Gianna
5. lemma category Ethics
6. Publication date 30-11-2017
7. lemma work Αλεκόπουλος, Άγγελος [Author]. Bioethical Problems in Intensive Care Units
8. lemma manifestations Bioethical Problems in Intensive Care Units
9. Keywords bioethics - medicine
10. Citations
    1. <p>Alekopoulos, Aggelos,<em> Βιοηθικά προβλήματα στη Μονάδα Εντατικής Θεραπείας</em> (<em>Bioethical Problems in Intensive Care Units</em>), Hellenic Open University, Patra 2015</p>
11. Lemma body

    1. The Intensive Care Unit - ICU is a specially equipped and staffed department of the hospital. It is a "space of life" where specialized medical and nursing staff are using the most modern biotechnology, to support, treat and cure critically ill patients. The rapid development of Biomedical technology, and particularly the use of mechanical ventilation (respirator) has offered to ICU patients the possibility of remaining alive with the help of mechanical support. At the same time the ICU is a place with strong the presence of death, despite our aggressive interventions, often unavoidable. Within this context of life and death, there are many ethical problems that occur with increasing frequency, which are difficult, complex and require thorough study.

       Τhis research presents and analyzes reflections on key bioethical problems in the Intensive Care Unit. In particular the key issues to be addressed is: the determination of the appropriate time to end treatment, discontinuation of mechanical support, brain death, transplantation, the moral status of extremely preterm fetus, cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These issues raise major ethical questions which are addressed, from different angles, by the interdisciplinary branch of bioethics.

       So in addition to medical and legal dimensions, there are religious, ecclesiastical and theological dimensions too, once addressed to societies with religious people. Orthodox theology has in recent years widely developed its thinking on Bioethical issues. It develops within the Tradition of Church and tries to detect, after research and reflection, answers on topics such as life, death, love and respect for human existence.