Citation

Cherny NI. Progress in Palliative Care 2008; 16(1): 51-62.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008)

DOI

10.1179/096992608X291234

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

At the end of life, all patients have the right to the adequate relief of physical symptoms. Consequently, there is need to ensure that appropriate infrastructural measures are addressed to enhance the likelihood that this right will be fulfilled. In order to achieve this, it is critical that symptoms at the end of life be assessed and, when relief is needed, that the adequacy of symptom relief be determined by the patient. Inadequately received symptoms in dying patients must be relieved to the patient's satisfaction and symptoms that are difficult to control must be evaluated by. clinicians expert in symptom control at the end of life. When a symptom is refractory to normal palliative approaches, and only sedation can provide the needed relief, this should be available to patients with appropriate infrastructural guidelines to prevent the inappropriate application of this approach. © 2008 W.S. Maney & Son Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

human; Ethics; assisted suicide; nutrition; medical ethics; pain; review; clinical practice; euthanasia; treatment planning; barbituric acid derivative; neuroleptic agent; levomepromazine; informed consent; medicolegal aspect; sedation; patient monitoring; terminal disease; myoclonus; practice guideline; orthostatic hypotension; terminal care; palliative therapy; drug choice; benzodiazepine derivative; risk benefit analysis; delirium; patient satisfaction; chlorpromazine; side effect; agitation; midazolam; End of life; clinical decision making; propofol; narcotic analgesic agent; amobarbital; Palliative sedation; monotherapy; Double effect; thiopental; hydration; drug dose increase; drug dose titration; continuous infusion; advanced cancer; loading drug dose; patient controlled analgesia