title: Caring for the terminally Ill.
abstract: More than 50% of dying patients do not receive adequate symptomatic relief. Fear of hastening death is the primary reason for physicians' reluctance to prescribe high-dose pain medication. Yet the ethical principle of "double effect" clearly states that palliative care which results in respiratory depression is justified-as long as the goal of management is relief of suffering, rather than death.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Portland, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Bascom
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tolle
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cassel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003663:Decision Trees; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*; D016312:Treatment Refusal