![]() Euthanasia: a 'kit' sold in Belgian pharmacies. Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD, R.M., Buiting HM, van Delden JJ et al, End-of-life practices in the Netherlands under the euthanasia act. Thorns, The use of opioids and sedatives at the end of life. Ryan M, M.T., Loprinzi CE, As-needed morphine: yes, but at what dose and at what interval? J Clin Oncol, 2005. Portenoy, R.K., et al., Opioid use and survival at the end of life: a survey of a hospice population. Bengoechea, I., et al., Opiods use at the end of life and survival in a hospital at home unit. Bercovitch M, A.A., Patterns of high-dose morphine use in a home-care hospice service. Morita T, T.J., Inoue S, Effects of high dose opioids and sedative on survival in terminally ill cancer patients. Thorns A, S.N., Opioid use in last week of life and implications for end-of-life decision-making. Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Relieving pain and suffering does not hasten death. Janssen, D.J.A., et al., A dosage of opioids should never exceed what is necessary to releive symptoms. Davis, Sensory deprivation and chronic pain: a review of the litterature. Hoeger Bement, Update on the relation between pain and movement: consequences for clinical practice. Pattinson, K., Opioids and the control of respiration. Ergmayer, P.K., A message of hope to those in painful expectation of death. Bates J., Gwyther L., and Dinat N., Morphine: friend or foe? Malawi medical journal, 2008. Ventafridda, V., et al., Symptom prevalence and control during cancer patients' last days of life. If you found this information helpful, please share it with your network and community.Ĭopyright © 2023 Crossroads Hospice. To learn more about our services, please call us at 1-88. The use of morphine, when used appropriately and in conjunction with other care, can be an important part of this process.Ĭrossroads Hospice & Palliative Care supports patients and families facing serious and terminal illness. Hospice care providers work to manage pain and other symptoms, provide emotional support, and help patients and their families navigate the end-of-life process. The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses, not to hasten death. Rather than morphine speeding up death, research has found that hospice patients receiving morphine lived longer, and more comfortably, because the medication reduces their pain and improves their breathing. Struggling with pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms is exhausting and hard on the body. The only concern is keeping these patients comfortable for the remainder of their lives. Sadly, these patients are not going to get better. To be eligible for hospice care, a patient must have a prognosis of six months or less to live if their illness follows its typical course. This is not needed for terminally-ill hospice patients. When individuals are recovering from an injury or addressing a chronic medical condition, there absolutely needs to be a plan for managing the risk of addiction. Healthcare providers are trained to recognize and address any potential side effects of morphine, and to adjust the dosage as needed to ensure the patient's comfort and safety.Īnother concern we often hear about the use of morphine and other pain medications is the risk of addiction. The medication is typically administered in small doses, and the patient's response is closely monitored. It is important to note that the use of morphine in hospice care is carefully monitored by healthcare professionals. For example, if a patient is heavily sedated or experiences respiratory depression, they may appear to be near death, when in fact they are simply experiencing the effects of the medication. In some cases, these side effects may be misinterpreted as morphine speeding up death. Morphine can have some side effects, such as sedation, respiratory depression, and decreased blood pressure. Morphine and other opioids can be an important tool in addressing pain and shortness of breath. Hospice care is often called “comfort care,” because the goal of hospice care is to ensure that the patient has the highest possible quality of life for the remainder of their life. Understanding the Side Effects of Morphine Morphine works by blocking pain signals in the brain and nervous system, which can reduce pain and help patients feel more comfortable. In fact, it can improve the quality of life for patients who are experiencing pain or other distressing symptoms. Morphine, when used properly and in the appropriate doses, does not hasten death. While morphine is an effective pain reliever, misconceptions can cause patients and families to worry that morphine will speed up the dying process. Morphine is a powerful medication used in hospice care to manage pain and other symptoms in patients with life-limiting illness. Many people worry about the use of morphine in hospice care.
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