[Distress symptoms in hospice patients].
A number of symptoms cause physical or mental distress and suffering in the terminal and dying patient. In this prospective study of 117 patients (96% with a cancer diagnosis) in a Danish hospice all symptoms causing distress were assessed daily in three degrees of severity. The ten most frequently recorded symptoms were: fatigue, pain, weakness, dyspnoea, immobility/paresis, anorexia, general malaise, nausea/vomiting, oedema and amnesia. Fatigue was registered on 60.9% of the admission days, pain on 27.3%, dyspnoea on 19.2% and nausea/vomiting on 8.5%. The prevalence of pain, dyspnoea, nausea/vomiting, thirst and anxiety did not increase during the last seven days of life. Unconsciousness occurred in 23% of the patients during the last 24 hours and in 5% on the day before.
Henriksen
H
H
Sankt Lukas Stiftelsens Hospice, Hellerup.
Riis
J
J
Christophersen
B
B
Moe
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology