Journal of palliative medicine
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Palliative care consultation teams (PCCTs) are being established in cancer centers for the management of patients' physical and psychosocial distress. As clinical findings of these teams have been reported infrequently, we aim to describe the experience of our high-volume inpatient PCCT. ⋯ These results provide insight into the demand and utility of this service for those considering the establishment of a PCCT.
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Dyspnea is a highly prevalent symptom in palliative care patients. Opioids are the first-line therapy for symptomatic relief of dyspnea. However, respiratory depression is still a feared side effect of therapy with WHO III opioids. The risk of respiratory depression in opioid-naïve patients and in patients pretreated with strong opioids during symptomatic therapy of dyspnea was investigated in palliative care patients. ⋯ No higher risk of respiratory depression and increase in tcpaCO2 in opioid-naïve palliative care patients, compared to patients pretreated with strong opioids, during symptomatic therapy of dyspnea with strong opioids could be found.
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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting congenital disease, with most patients dying at a young age of progressive lung disease. Lung transplantation offers hope for many but may not occur. There is little to guide the provision of palliative care to this young population who maintain hope in the possibility of lung transplantation. ⋯ We conclude that the circumstances surrounding the death of patients with CF holds challenges for their effective palliative care. CF patients continue life prolonging and preventative treatments until the last hours of life. There is an urgent need to examine palliative care approaches that may usefully coexist with maintaining transplantation options in the end-of-life care of this population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of an inpatient palliative care team: a randomized control trial.
Palliative care improves care and reduces costs for hospitalized patients with life-limiting illnesses. There have been no multicenter randomized trials examining impact on patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and subsequent health care costs. ⋯ IPCS patients reported greater satisfaction with their care experience and providers' communication, had fewer ICU admissions on readmission, and lower total health care costs following hospital discharge.