title: Assessment and management of pain in the terminally ill.
abstract: Regular assessment for the presence of pain and response to pain management strategies should be high priority in terminally ill patients. Pain management interventions are most effective when treatments are individualized based on the various physical and nonphysical components of pain at the end of life, and patients and family are educated and involved in the decision making. Opioids remain the cornerstone of pain management, and adjuvant analgesics and nonpharmacologic options are usually considered after relative stabilization of pain. This article describes the various issues that are pertinent to the assessment and treatment of pain in terminally ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine - Unit 1414, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. sdalal@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruera
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications; D015897:Comorbidity; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019452:Terminally Ill; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics