title: Medication in the last days of life for motor neuron disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Our objective was to study the use of opioid and other medication at the end of life for patients with ALS/MND under specialist palliative care. A retrospective study looked at the medication received by 62 patients with MND/ALS in the last 72 h of life in six hospices in the UK and Ireland. Medication is widely used in the last 24 h of life, and use of the parenteral route increases as death approaches. We found that the doses of opioids and other medication do not increase appreciably during this period. The mean dose of opioid in the last 24 h of life was 80 mg oral morphine equivalent/24 h. These results are further evidence that opioids can be used both effectively and safely to manage symptoms at the end of life for people with MND/ALS.
authors.affiliation: Wisdom Hospice, University of Kent, High Bank, Rochester, Kent, UK. drdjoliver@gmail.co.uk
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'brien
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tallon
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor-Horan
authors.forename: Mayen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Udoma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D008874:Midazolam