title: A comparison of the use of sedatives in a hospital support team and in a hospice.
abstract: This study examines how frequently and for what indications sedatives are prescribed in a hospital support team and in a hospice. We also looked at the survival of sedated patients from the date of admission and from the start of sedation. Overall 26% of patients were prescribed sedatives in order to sedate them (31% at the hospice and 21% at the hospital) and 43% of patients were given sedatives for symptom control (67% at the hospice and 21% at the hospital). Sedated patients survived for a mean of 1.3 days after the start of sedation, and there was no detectable difference in survival from the date of admission between sedated and nonsedated patients.
authors.affiliation: Royal London Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Spruyt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waight
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives