Thanks. The risk of death in 24 hours is new info for me. From the source... “...don’t mean a whole heck of a lot” puts it in perspective.
“After checking with a couple of doctors, one on each coast to account for any variation in local definitions, I can state with some certainty that most of these terms don’t mean a whole heck of a lot and vary depending on the hospital and the doctor’s definition.
“Critical” does seem to mean something fairly standard. As one doc told me, critical condition, by definition, requires care in a critical care or intensive care unit. In general, it’s the worst condition (other than, obviously, DOA) a patient can be in, with a high risk of death within the next 24 hours.
Being upgraded to “serious” means there is a lower likelihood of death within 24 hours, but the patient still requires close observation. So, you’re definitely thought to be better off in “serious” condition than in “critical” condition, but you’re not ready to go run a marathon, or for that matter shuffle to the bathroom.
Another term you’ve probably heard is “stable,” as in, “the patient is in serious but stable condition.” This means there are no major active medical issues and the patient’s basic vital functions are not fluctuating or in need of support.”