JAOA Vol 101 No 10 October 2001 609-615
Focus on End-of-Life Care |
Symptoms management at the end of life
CA Paolini
Numerous, well-defined symptoms are associated with end of life when death is caused by a chronic or debilitating illness (or both) such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's dementia, and congestive heart failure. These symptoms, if unrelieved, are distressing to both the patients and their families and preclude any possibility of relieving psychological, social, and spiritual suffering, improving quality of life, or completing life closure. Therefore, the objective of this article is to identify some common symptoms at end of life and various management strategies for each.
Copyright © 2001 by the American Osteopathic Association.