How long does someone live on palliative sedation?

How long does someone live on palliative sedation?

Survival. There are reports that after initiation of palliative sedation, 38% of people died within 24 hours and 96% of people died within one week. Other studies report a survival time of < 3 weeks in 94% of people after starting palliative sedation.

What do they use for palliative sedation?

The medications used for palliative sedation vary, but benzodiazepines and barbiturates are favored agents. Other medications used include the phenothiazine chlorpromazine, the butyrophenonehaloperidol, and the anesthetic agent propofol.

What is continuous palliative sedation therapy?

Continuous palliative sedation therapy is the use of ongoing sedation for symptom management, considered during the end of life when a patient is close to death (ie, within hours or days3 or up to the last 2 weeks of life1) and continued until the patient’s death.

What is the intent of using palliative terminal sedation?

The intent of palliative sedation is to relieve the burden of otherwise intolerable suffering for terminally ill patients in a manner that preserves the moral sensibilities of the patient, the medical professionals involved in their care, and concerned family and friends [1].

Why are dying patients sedated?

Continuous sedation is always administered in the final stages of life to patients who are dying and are experiencing unbearable suffer- ing. The object of palliative sedation is to relieve suffering; lowering the level of consciousness is the means to that end.

When is palliative sedation used?

Often, PS is used to treat delirium, pain, dyspnea, nausea, or other physical symptoms. Palliative sedation may be considered when patients or surrogate decision makers have given informed consent and generally when consensus exists among patients, families, and staff about the appropriateness of the therapy.

How long does terminal sedation last?

Sedated, terminal cancer patients usually live about 1 day. We identified risk factors for a shorter sedation period.

What are the side effects of palliative sedation?

Palliative sedation can be associated with an increased risk of aspiration, respiratory depression, and worsening agitation due to delirium. These adverse outcomes are unintended effects of therapy and not the primary intended outcome in palliative sedation.

Why is Midazolam given at end of life?

Midazolam is a commonly used benzodiazepine in palliative care and is considered one of the four essential drugs needed for the promotion of quality care in dying patients. Acting on the benzodiazepine receptor, it promotes the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid.

When is palliative sedation is a valuable adjunct?

For that reason, when palliative therapies have been exhausted and symptoms remain refractory, palliative sedation is a valuable therapeutic adjunct that affords a more comfortable and dignified death ( Rousseau 1999 ).

How is palliative sedation used to treat delirium?

To induce palliative sedation, the dosage of medications frequently administered at lower doses, either to reduce anxiety or to control mild delirium, can be increased to intentionally lower level of consciousness. Other agents can be added to produce deeper sedation if first-line agents are insufficient.

What does continuous palliative sedation therapy ( CPST ) do?

Continuous Palliative Sedation Therapy (CPST) is a specialized medical intervention leading to the intentional induction and continuous maintenance of a reduced level of consciousness to relieve refractory symptom(s) that have not responded to other treatments during the last hours to days of life for patients whose goal of care is comfort.

What should the pain score be for deep sedation?

For deep sedation, the goal is generally a score of -3 or -4 on the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale. For pain control as documented by the pain assessment scale for comatose patients or patients receiving palliative sedation, the target score is 8 or less.