[Practice of treatment restriction in Hungarian intensive care units].
End of life decisions affect most of patients in intensive care units, thus, it is important to know both local and international practice in accordance with law and ethical principles for intensive care physicians.


OBJECTIVE
To search for local customs of end of life decisions (withholding or withdrawing the therapy, shortening of the dying process), and to compare the data with the international literature.


METHODS
In 2007-2008 the first Hungarian survey was performed with the purpose to learn more about local practice of end of life decisions. Questionnaires were sent out electronically to 743 registered members of Hungarian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. Respecting anonymity, 103 replies were statistically evaluated (response rate was 13.8%) and compared with data from other European countries.


RESULTS
As expected, it turned out from replies that the practice of domestic intensive care physicians is very paternal and this is promoted by legal regulations that share a similar character. Intensive care physicians generally make their decisions alone (3.75/5 point) without respecting the opinion of the patient (2.57/5 point) the relatives (2.14/5 point) or other medical personnel (2.37/5 point). Furthermore, they prefer not to start a therapy rather than withdraw an ongoing treatment. Nevertheless, the frequency of end of life decisions (3-9% of ICU patients) is smaller than other European countries.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need for the expansion of patients' right in our country. For end of life decisions, self determinations must be supported and a dialogue must be established between lawmakers and physicians, in order to improve the legal support of this medical practice.
Zubek
László
L
Semmelweis Egyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, Aneszteziológiai és Intenzív Terápiás Klinika, Budapest. lzubek@freemail.hu
Szabó
Léna
L
Gál
János
J
Ollos
Adám
A
Elo
Gábor
G
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003657:Decision Making; D004651:Employment; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005060:Europe; D005066:Euthanasia, Passive / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006766:Hospitals, County / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006773:Hospitals, Municipal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D018447:Medical Futility; D026706:Paternalism; D028701:Patient Rights; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000941:ethics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*