MMW Fortschritte der Medizin
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The medical possibilities of keeping a patient alive with the aid of drugs and technical aids are constantly expanding. A more difficult decision that the care-providing physician is called upon to make is: when is the point reached when further treatment no longer makes sense? From here on, the objective is to enable the patient to die with dignity,which entails allowing him/her and relatives the opportunity to take their leave of one another.
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Acute ingestion of opioids is associated with various side effects, such as nausea, dizziness and light-headedness that can impair a person's fitness to drive. Over the long-term, however, tolerance to the opioids develops, and such negative effects decrease. ⋯ A stable dose, absence of co-consumption of other psychotropic drugs, and a good general state of health of the patient may well be associated with continuing ability to drive. Patients who are able to critically assess their own situation should be given appropriate information.