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Ethical issues in end of life treatments for patients with dementia
Author(s) -
Congedo M.,
Causarano R. I.,
Alberti F.,
Bonito V.,
Borghi L.,
Colombi L.,
Defanti C. A.,
Marcello N.,
Porteri C.,
Pucci E.,
Tarquini D.,
Tettamanti M.,
Tiezzi A.,
Tiraboschi P.,
Gasparini M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2010.02991.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dementia , disease , psychological intervention , intensive care medicine , palliative care , terminal cancer , scientific evidence , psychiatry , nursing , pathology , epistemology , philosophy
Dementia is a terminal disease, associated with great suffering and difficult decisions in the severe stage. The decision‐making process is characterized by uncertainty because of lack of scientific evidence in treatments and by the need to reconcile conflicting points of view. In intercurrent diseases, aggressive interventions are used without consideration of its futility; in comparison with cancer, several consequences of physicians’ attitude not to consider dementia as a terminal disease have been reported, especially concerning pain relief. Lack of evidence of artificial nutrition and hydration effectiveness makes advance care planning relevant.