Caring for the terminally Ill.
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.
Bascom
P B
PB
Division of General Internal Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Portland, USA.
Tolle
S W
SW
Cassel
C K
CK
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