Psychological reactions in family members of patients hospitalised in intensive care units.

The environment of the intensive care unit (ICU) is burdensome to a patient and the patient's family. There is a higher risk of depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders in the ICU patients' family members. In relatives of critically ill patients, the cluster of adverse psychological reactions, such as: anxiety, acute stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and complicated grief, is called post-intensive care syndrome - family (PICS-F). These complications may affect the relatives' ability to perform the role of a caregiver and it can also hinder their daily functioning. Apart from negative psychological consequences experienced after a loved one's stay in the ICU, there are also some positive changes observed in patient's relatives called posttraumatic growth. In this review, the psychological repercussions in the ICU patient's family and the means to prevent their undesirable responses are discussed.