PMID: 7523740Oct 26, 1994Paper

Comfort care for terminally ill patients. The appropriate use of nutrition and hydration

JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association
R M McCannA Groth-Juncker

Abstract

To determine the frequency of symptoms of hunger and thirst in a group of terminally ill patients and determine whether these symptoms could be palliated without forced feeding, forced hydration, or parenteral alimentation. Prospective evaluation of consecutively admitted terminally ill patients treated in a comfort care unit. Ten-bed comfort care unit in a 471-bed long-term care facility. Mentally aware, competent patients with terminal illnesses monitored from time of admission to time of death while residing in the comfort care unit. Symptoms of hunger, thirst, and dry mouth were recorded, and the amounts and types of food and fluids necessary to relieve these symptoms were documented. The subjective level of comfort was assessed longitudinally in all patients. Of the 32 patients monitored during the 12 months of study, 20 patients (63%) never experienced any hunger, while 11 patients (34%) had symptoms only initially. Similarly, 20 patients (62%) experienced either no thirst or thirst only initially during their terminal illness. In all patients, symptoms of hunger, thirst, and dry mouth could be alleviated, usually with small amounts of food, fluids, and/or by the application of ice chips and lubrication to the lips. Comfo...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 26, 2010·Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly·Roschelle A Heuberger
Mar 8, 2003·The Lancet Oncology·Linda M SuttonElizabeth C Clipp
Sep 12, 2014·Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care·Nobuhisa NakajimaToshimichi Nakaho
May 9, 2014·Best Practice & Research. Clinical Gastroenterology·Rozemarijn Lidewij van Bruchem-VisserFrancesco U Mattace Raso
May 6, 2014·Digestive and Liver Disease : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver·UNKNOWN French Speaking Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SFNEP)
Mar 22, 2006·The Consultant Pharmacist : the Journal of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists·Marissa C Galicia-Castillo, Caren McHenry Martin
Nov 2, 2014·Seminars in Oncology Nursing·Mary S McCabe, Nessa Coyle
Feb 1, 1997·Journal of General Internal Medicine·S J YoungnerT Stellato
Sep 1, 2000·BMJ : British Medical Journal·J A Billings
Jul 3, 2013·American Journal of Critical Care : an Official Publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses·Shoshana AraiKathleen Puntillo
Jun 5, 2003·Journal of Pain and Symptom Management·Franco De ConnoCarla Ripamonti
May 15, 2002·Critical Reviews in Oncology/hematology·Marcello De CiccoCristina Santantonio
Nov 9, 2010·Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie·H GenzM H-D Pfisterer
Jun 28, 2003·Current Pain and Headache Reports·Vinaya Potluri, Donna S Zhukovsky
Dec 4, 2002·Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics : the Official Journal of the British Dietetic Association·S Healy, E McNamara
Jan 26, 2012·Der Anaesthesist·E GaserUNKNOWN European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
Jun 19, 2003·Journal of the American Medical Directors Association·M Gillick
Dec 15, 2000·Journal of Advanced Nursing·N Hughes, R D Neal
Nov 15, 2006·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·Do Youn OhNoe Kyeong Kim
Jan 12, 2007·Care Management Journals : Journal of Case Management ; the Journal of Long Term Home Health Care·Caroline A VitaleJudith C Ahronheim
Jun 18, 2002·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·Daphne S LangdonBonnie Hackes
Sep 26, 2003·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Stacie T Pinderhughes, R Sean Morrison
Sep 26, 2003·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Timothy E QuillMaria Milella
Oct 1, 2003·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Frank D FerrisLinda L Emanuel
Jan 22, 2004·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Joseph W ShegaGreg A Sachs
Dec 14, 2004·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Tatsuya MoritaUNKNOWN Japan Palliative Oncology Study Group
Apr 30, 2005·Journal of Palliative Medicine·P Rousseau
Apr 30, 2005·Journal of Palliative Medicine·B R FerrellM Grant
Oct 22, 2005·Journal of Palliative Medicine·William M Plonk, Robert M Arnold
Feb 15, 2007·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Alexander de Graeff, Mervyn Dean
Jan 15, 2003·Annual Review of Medicine·Janet L Abrahm
Jan 1, 1995·The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics : a Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics·L J NelsonR D Truog
Jan 20, 2000·The New England Journal of Medicine·M R Gillick
Dec 5, 1996·The New England Journal of Medicine·R S MorrisonC K Cassel
Jun 17, 2000·The New England Journal of Medicine·W J Burke
Dec 16, 2005·The New England Journal of Medicine·David CasarettArthur Caplan

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.