Integrating Supportive Care Principles Into Dialysis Decision Making: A Primer for Palliative Medicine Providers

Despite advances in predialysis care and dialysis technology, patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease continue to experience multiple comorbidities, a high symptom burden, a shortened life expectancy, and substantial physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. Patients with acute kidney injury and end-stage renal disease, especially if they are older, often undergo prolonged hospitalizations, greater use of intensive medical treatment, and limited survival. Unfortunately, most nephrologists are not trained to conduct shared decision-making conversations to elicit patients' values, preferences, and goals for treatment and address their patients' multifactorial suffering.
Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - Category: Palliative Care Authors: Tags: Curbside Rounds: State-of-the-Art in Palliative Care Source Type: research