Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
SHR Neuro Cancer Cardio Lipid Metab Microb
Schur, S; Weixler, D; Gabl, C; Kreye, G; Likar, R; Masel, EK; Mayrhofer, M; Reiner, F; Schmidmayr, B; Kirchheiner, K; Watzke, HH, , AUPACS, (Austrian, Palliative, Care, Study), Group.
Sedation at the end of life - a nation-wide study in palliative care units in Austria.
BMC Palliat Care. 2016; 15: 50
Doi: 10.1186/s12904-016-0121-8
[OPEN ACCESS]
Web of Science
PubMed
FullText
FullText_MUG
- Co-authors Med Uni Graz
- Likar Rudolf
- Altmetrics:
- Dimensions Citations:
- Plum Analytics:
- Scite (citation analytics):
- Abstract:
- BACKGROUND: Sedation is used to an increasing extent in end-of-life care. Definitions and indications in this field are based on expert opinions and case series. Little is known about this practice at palliative care units in Austria. METHODS: Patients who died in Austrian palliative care units between June 2012 and June 2013 were identified. A predefined set of baseline characteristics and information on sedation during the last two weeks before death were obtained by reviewing the patients' charts. RESULTS: The data of 2414 patients from 23 palliative care units were available for analysis. Five hundred two (21 %) patients received sedation in the last two weeks preceding their death, 356 (71 %) received continuous sedation until death, and 119 (24 %) received intermittent sedation. The median duration of sedation was 48 h (IQR 10-72 h); 168 patients (34 %) were sedated for less than 24 h. Indications for sedation were delirium (51 %), existential distress (32 %), dyspnea (30 %), and pain (20 %). Midazolam was the most frequently used drug (79 %), followed by lorazepam (13 %), and haloperidol (10 %). Sedated patients were significantly younger (median age 67 years vs. 74 years, p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.22), suffered more often from an oncological disease (92 % vs. 82 %, p ≤ 0.001, φ = 0.107), and were hospitalized more frequently (94 % vs. 76 %, p ≤ 0.001, φ = 0.175). The median number of days between admission to a palliative care ward/mobile palliative care team and death did not differ significantly in sedated versus non-sedated patients (10 vs. 9 days; p = 0.491). CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into the practice of end-of-life sedation in Austria. Critical appraisal of these data will serve as a starting point for the development of nation-wide guidelines for palliative sedation in Austria.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Age Factors - administration & dosage
- Aged - administration & dosage
- Aged, 80 and over - administration & dosage
- Austria - administration & dosage
- Deep Sedation - methods, statistics & numerical data
- Delirium - drug therapy
- Dyspnea - administration & dosage
- Female - administration & dosage
- Humans - administration & dosage
- Hypnotics and Sedatives - therapeutic use
- Male - administration & dosage
- Middle Aged - administration & dosage
- Pain - drug therapy
- Palliative Care - methods
- Patient Comfort - administration & dosage
- Retrospective Studies - administration & dosage
- Sex Factors - administration & dosage
- Stress, Psychological - drug therapy
- Terminal Care - methods
- Time Factors - administration & dosage
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- Palliative care
- Sedation
- Symptom management