Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2015
Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Advanced Cancer in Different Palliative Care Settings.
Information regarding sleep disturbances in the population with advanced cancer is meager. ⋯ More than 60% of palliative care patients have relevant sleep disturbances. Several factors associated with sleep disorders have been identified and should prompt physicians to make a careful examination and subsequent treatment of these disturbances.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2015
Correlates and Predictors of Changes in Dyspnea Symptoms Over Time Among Community-Dwelling Palliative Home Care Clients.
Dyspnea is a frequently reported and highly distressing symptom for persons nearing end of life, affecting the quality of living and dying. ⋯ Results highlight that dyspnea is not inevitable as persons progress toward death. Accordingly, dyspnea should be identified and prioritized during the care planning process. Integrated approaches using the interRAI PC dyspnea clinical assessment protocol may assist clinicians to make informed decisions addressing dyspnea at the person-level and thereby improve quality of life at the end of life.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2015
Benefit of Early Palliative Care Intervention in End-Stage Liver Disease Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation.
Patients with end-stage liver disease have a predictable and progressive decline in their quality of life because of physical symptoms and psychological distress. Early palliative care intervention (EPCI) correlates with better symptom control and mood. We aimed to improve symptomatology and mood in liver transplant candidates by implementing a longitudinal multidisciplinary EPCI. ⋯ Implementation of EPCI improved symptom burden and mood in end-stage liver disease patients awaiting transplant.
-
PC-FACS(FastArticleCriticalSummaries for Clinicians inPalliativeCare) provides hospice and palliative care clinicians with concise summaries of the most important findings from more than 100 medical and scientific journals. If you have colleagues who would benefit from receiving PC-FACS, please encourage them to join the AAHPM at aahpm.org. Comments from readers are welcomed at pc-facs@aahpm.org.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2015
To Feed or Not to Feed? A Case Report and Ethical Analysis of Withholding Food and Drink in a Patient with Advanced Dementia.
It is well established that competent patients have the right to refuse artificial nutrition and hydration. There is less clarity regarding withholding nutrition in patients who lack decision-making capacity but who are still physically able to eat and drink. This case highlights the ethical dilemma of withholding food and drink in a patient with advanced dementia.