Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · May 2016
Do-not-resuscitate orders and related factors among family surrogates of patients in the emergency department.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders and to identify relevant factors influencing the DNR decision-making process by patients' surrogates in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ The findings of this study indicated that surrogates of patients who were more severe in disease condition, whose physicians initiated the discussion of palliative care, and who stayed longer in hospital were important factors affecting the surrogates' DNR decision-making. Therefore, early initiation of DNR discussions is suggested to improve end-of-life care.
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This study aims to determine the numbers of patients with advanced cancer receiving polypharmacy at the end of their lives and analyze differences in drug prescription at a general oncology ward and a dedicated palliative care ward. ⋯ Polypharmacy still is a problem in the large majority of patients with terminal cancer. Further studies should be focused on the patients' quality of life, drug interactions, and adverse events.