open access: JCO Editorial: Palliative Sedation: When and How?

 Palliative Sedation: When and How?

".....As with many other medical interventions, the controversy that
surrounds palliative sedation is not linked to the question of “yes or
no?” but rather, “when and how?”"

abstract and podcast: Palliative Sedation in End-of-Life Care and Survival: A Systematic Review [Palliative and Supportive Care] (unbearable suffering)

 Blogger's Note: search blog for other articles regarding palliative sedation

 
Palliative Sedation in End-of-Life Care and Survival: A Systematic Review [Palliative and Supportive Care]:

Purpose
Palliative sedation is a clinical procedure aimed at relieving refractory symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. It has been suggested that sedative drugs may shorten life, but few studies exist comparing the survival of sedated and nonsedated patients. We present a systematic review of literature on the clinical practice of palliative sedation to assess the effect, if any, on survival.

 Conclusion
Even if there is no direct evidence from randomized clinical trials, palliative sedation, when appropriately indicated and correctly used to relieve unbearable suffering, does not seem to have any detrimental effect on survival of patients with terminal cancer. In this setting, palliative sedation is a medical intervention that must be considered as part of a continuum of palliative care.
  
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Users can play the podcast directly in the audio player embedded below. If Flash is disabled on your browser, you can save the file directly to your computer or open on your mobile device by clicking on "download file."

Sedation for the Management of Refractory Suffering
by Nathan Cherny


(Download file - duration 0:10:41, file size 9.80 MB)
This podcast presenter indicated no conflicts of interest.

JCO - Cancer Pain Management - The Care People Need and the Education of Physicians

"...............Basic skills in patient care and in pain management remain an essential component of optimal oncology care. If we are to provide patients with the care they deserve, we must not just integrate training in pain management into every fellowship program, we must expect oncologists to practice what they learn...........The data suggest that the biggest barrier will be the oncologists already in practice who think the status quo doesn't need to change."

Experts Call For End To Global Inequalities In Access To Pain Medication For Cancer Sufferers