List of comorbidities that restrict ICU admission from the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences
| Stage A: when beds are available exclusion criteria for ICU admission include any one of: | Stage B: when no beds are available exclusion criteria for ICU admission include any one of: |
| Severe and irreversible neurological conditions | Severe cerebral deficits after stroke |
| NYHA class IV heart failure | NYHA class III or IV heart failure |
| COPD GOLD grade 4 group D | COPD GOLD grade 4 group D or COPD groups A–D with either FEV1<25% or cor pulmonale or home oxygen therapy (long-term oxygen therapy) |
| Liver cirrhosis with Child-Pugh score >8 | Liver cirrhosis with refractory ascites or encephalopathy >stage I |
| Severe dementia | Moderate confirmed dementia |
| Malignant disease with <12 months’ life expectancy | Severe burns (>40% of total body surface area affected) with inhalation injury |
| End-stage neurodegenerative diseases | Stage V chronic kidney disease (KDIGO) |
| Severe circulatory failure | Age >85 years |
| Cardiac arrests which are unwitnessed, recurrent or with no return of spontaneous circulation | Age >75 years and at least one criterion (liver cirrhosis, stage III chronic kidney disease (KDIGO), NYHA class >I heart failure, estimated survival <24 months) |
| Treatment resistant despite increased vasoactive therapy | |
| Estimated survival <12 months |
COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; FEV1, Forced expiratory volume in 1 second; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; ICU, intensive care unit; KDIGO, Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes; NYHA, New York Heart Association functional classification of heart failure.