MedWorm: Palliative Care Top 20

Finding Peace.

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Angotti L PMID: 20167831 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

α

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:16:35 +0100

Conclusion: These results indicate the effectiveness of a2d modulators for management of neuropathic pain secondary to compression radiculopathy. The results also suggest a possible therapeutic superiority of LYRICA over locally available generic brands of pregabalin and gabapentin. These findings need to be further examined in randomized, controlled trials. (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Unlocking the closed door: arguments for open access hospice.

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Furman CD, Doukas DJ, Reichel W The traditional view of standard hospice (SH) care is that once begun, the doorway toward curative and other forms of nonpalliative treatment is irrevocably locked. We will argue that such a traditional view needs to be reassessed in light of new arguments and data regarding access to these avenues of treatment. We will argue that patients should be supported in their transition from SH to open access hospice (OAH). Open access hospice should be available to all patients because of ethical arguments, patient satisfaction arguments, and costs of care arguments. More randomized controlled research trials need to be performed to study the impact of OAH versus SH. This research should focus on patient satisfaction, cost, and survival. PMID: 2012...

Working with the Mental Capacity Act: findings from specialist palliative and neurological care settings.

Palliative Medicine — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Wilson E, Seymour JE, Perkins P Since October 2007 staff across health and social care services in England and Wales have been guided by the Mental Capacity Act (2005) in the provision of care for those who may lack capacity to make some decisions for themselves. This paper reports on the findings from a study with 26 staff members working in three palliative and three neurological care centres. Semistructured interviews were used to gain an understanding of their knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, the issue of capacity itself and the documentation processes associated with the introduction of the Act and in line with advance care planning. Within this setting advance care planning is a key part of care provision and the mental capacity of service users is a regular issue. ...

The special case of complicated grief in women at high risk for breast cancer.

Palliative and Supportive Care — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Wellisch DK, Cohen MM Objective:Exploration of complicated grief focusing on the relationship of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complicated grief in a population of women at high risk for developing breast cancer. Special reference is made to women who have experienced a material death.Method:We reflected on the clinical attributes of the Revlon UCLA High Risk Clinic population in terms of their own perceived risk of developing breast cancer. For part of our population, their perceived risk was coupled with their reactions to the loss of their mothers to breast cancer. We compared and contrasted this pattern of reactions to those described by Licihtenthal et al. (2004) in their developmental review of complicated grief as a distinct disorder.Results:We concluded tha...

The Meaning of the Music: The Role of Music in Palliative Care Music Therapy as Perceived by Bereaved Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients.

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

In this study, the role of music in palliative care music therapy is examined and representatively summarized, followed by a review of strategies provided by this author to home hospice patients and their caregivers. The reported perceptions of the meaning of music to 7 bereaved caregivers are presented, including a review of themes and associated narrations that illustrated its significance. The caregivers described these aspects of music in sessions to have memorable and lasting effects as follows: "music is a conduit," "music gets inside us," "live music makes a difference," and "music is love." Findings support the benefits of preloss music therapy for bereaved caregivers. PMID: 19047488 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Car...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Table of Contents and Subscription Info

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management)

Recognizing that it is part and parcel of what they do: teaching palliative care to medical students in the UK.

Palliative Medicine — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Gibbins J, McCoubrie R, Maher J, Wee B, Forbes K In their first year of work, newly qualified doctors will care for patients who have palliative care needs or who are dying, and they will need the skills to do this throughout their medical career. The General Medical Council in the United Kingdom has given clear recommendations that all medical students should receive core teaching on relieving pain and distress together with caring for the terminally ill. However, medical schools provide variable amounts of this teaching; some are able to deliver comprehensive programmes whilst others deliver very little. This paper presents the results of a mixed methods study which explored the structure and content of palliative care teaching in different UK medical schools, and revealed w...

The palliative care needs of patients with stage 3 and 4 HIV infection

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:25:24 +0100

Jameson CIndian Journal of Palliative Care 2008 14(1):1-6 (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Palliative care - Need of awareness in general population

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:07:55 +0100

Pandve Harshal T, Fernandez Kevin, Chawla Parvinder Singh, Singru Samir AIndian Journal of Palliative Care 2009 15(2):162-163 (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Objective and Subjective Nutritional Assessment of Patients With Cancer in Palliative Care.

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with cancer in palliative care and to examine the interrelationship between objective and subjective nutritional assessment measures. Patients' nutritional status in a palliative care unit of a Malaysian government hospital and a hospice facility were assessed using anthropometric measurements, weight loss at 1/6 months, and the scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). Moderate-to-severe malnutrition was observed in a range from 31% to 69% using both measurements. Common nutritional impact symptoms were pain, xerostomia, and anorexia. Patient-generated subjective global assessment scores were significantly correlated with anthropometric measurements (P < .050). The PG-SGA is equally informative as obj...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Efficacy of intranasal fentanyl spray versus other opioids for breakthrough pain in cancer

Palliative Care JournalClub - Selected Articles — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:44:50 +0100

Curr Med Res Opin (new issue) (Source: Palliative Care JournalClub - Selected Articles)

Targeting Diuretic Use for Malignant Ascites—Two Case Reports Highlighting the Value of the Serum-Ascites Albumin Gradient in a Palliative Setting

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Malignant ascites is a distressing, debilitating, and common complication occurring in up to half of all malignancies. Repeated paracentesis is widely recognized as the mainstay of treatment but benefits tend to be short-lived and the procedure can be associated with fatigue and hypotension. Studies have shown that patients with ascites formed because of liver metastases, termed central ascites, tend to respond to diuretics and that identification of such patients can allow targeted diuretic use. The serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) is a simple test that can accurately distinguish the mechanism of formation of malignant ascites. Two cases are described where the SAAG was successfully used to guide the use of diuretics in the control of ascites. (Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Man...

What Influences Individuals to Engage in Advance Care Planning?

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The motivations for undertaking ACP that we have identified offer health care providers insight into effective strategies for facilitating the process of ACP with their patients. PMID: 20103783 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care)

Lightening up before death.

Palliative and Supportive Care — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:56:10 +0100

Authors: Macleod AD A lightening, or clearing, of the mental state in the hours or days before death, particularly in those delirious, is occasionally noted by those caring for the dying. Similar phenomena have been described in the natural world and in classical literature. This brief period of lucidity is generally followed by a rapid terminal decline. The author reports on his experience with six cases illustrating this phenomenon. The increasing use of palliative sedation may diminish the possibility of lightening up before death occurring. The theoretical concepts of Hughlings Jackson may provide an explanation for this phenomenon. PMID: 19939314 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Palliative and Supportive Care)

Palliative care in advanced gynecological cancers: Institute of palliative medicine experience

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:41:56 +0100

Conclusions:</b> The number of gynecological malignancy cases attending the Pain and Palliative Care Clinic is small. Pain is the most common and distressing symptom, with only 32% of the patients achieving adequate pain relief. Poor drug compliance, incomplete assessment of pain and the lack of awareness of morphine therapy were identified as the most common causes for poor pain control. (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Spiritual perspectives and practices at the end-of-life: A review of the major world religions and application to palliative care

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:35:18 +0100

Bauer-Wu S, Barrett R, Yeager KIndian Journal of Palliative Care 2007 13(2):53-58 (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Facing death: Awakening a passion for life

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:35:18 +0100

Grassman DeborahIndian Journal of Palliative Care 2007 13(2):68-71 (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Palliative care in advanced cancer patients in a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand

Indian Journal of Palliative Care — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:41:56 +0100

Conclusion:</b> The result gives insight into the varied symptomatology of patients with advanced cancer. Polypharmacy was quite common in patients with advanced cancer, predisposing them to complicated drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. (Source: Indian Journal of Palliative Care)

Changes in gender discrimination after death: evidence from a cemetery.

Omega — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:23:09 +0100

Authors: Abel EL Information on tombstones from a large cemetery in New York State were analyzed for gender discrimination. Criteria for gender bias were indications of familial relationships, absence of surnames, and absence of maiden names combined with surname for married women. Overall, females were far more likely to be identified in terms of familial relationships and were far less likely to have their married surname included on their gravestone. However, when the data were divided into 50 year epochs, it was apparent that identification of women in terms of familial relationships had become far less common and indication of surnames had become more common over the last 150 years. There was also a slight trend for women to have both their maiden and surnames on their grave marke...