Journal of Clinical Medicine
Operational Ethics in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit: A Practical Framework for Ethical Decision-Making
Background/Objectives: Contemporary cardiovascular critical care is increasingly shaped by advanced technologies, prognostic uncertainty, and time-sensitive decisions regarding mechanical circulatory support, treatment limitation, device management, family communication, and end-of-life care. Although established ethical principles provide essential normative guidance, their integration into routine bedside workflows remains challenging. This review examines the principal ethical tensions arising in the Cardiovascu …