Critical care is a multiprofessional healthcare specialty that provides care for patients with acute an life-threatening illnesses of vital organs such as heart, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas and brain. Most critical care today, however, is delivered in highly specialized intensive care units (ICU).

The goal of critical care is to stabilize the patient's condition and prevent further deterioration. Critical care is typically provided to patients who have experienced a major trauma, such as a severe injury or a major surgery, or who are experiencing a life-threatening medical condition, such as sepsis, respiratory failure, or heart failure.