Patients can be referred to the CPU in various ways. Any doctor in private practice can refer their patients to the CPU if they have the relevant symptoms. Patients also have the option of presenting themselves directly to the CPU. However, if a cardiac emergency is suspected, the ambulance service or emergency doctor should always be called. After an initial examination and treatment, the doctor will announce the patient to the CPU and, after initiating stabilising measures, transport the patient under supervision.
In the CPU, the vital parameters (heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation) are determined for each patient immediately upon arrival and an initial assessment is carried out by the CPU doctor. This is followed by an ECG, a blood sample and a detailed physical examination. Ultrasound and all radiological procedures are always available as extended diagnostic measures.
Depending on the results of the cardiological and general internal investigations, a decision is made in the CPU as to whether admission to hospital is necessary. Potentially life-threatening illnesses can often be ruled out quickly and with sufficient certainty so that further diagnostics and treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis. If inpatient hospital treatment is necessary, the further treatment plan is determined in the CPU and communicated to the team on the ward providing further care. Overall, the length of a patient's stay in the CPU is usually only a few hours.
The CPU is equipped with all the structural and equipment options for treating cardiac emergencies, but only the initial treatment of critically ill patients takes place here. They are then transferred in-house to the M3G internal medicine emergency department for advanced circulatory and respiratory support procedures. In the event of a heart attack, depending on the severity, immediate interventional treatment can be arranged in the adjacent cardiac catheterisation laboratory.