Management of COPD in End-of-Life Care by Spanish Pulmonologists.

Management of COPD in End-of-Life Care by Spanish Pulmonologists. COPD. 2018 Mar 20;:1-6 Authors: Ecenarro PS, Iguiñiz MI, Tejada SP, Malanda NM, Imizcoz MA, Marlasca LA, Navarrete BA Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is progressive and in its advanced stage is associated with major disability. Previous studies suggest that patients with this disease receive little palliative care, even in very advanced stages. Given this, our objectives were to describe the clinical practice of Spanish pulmonologists in the care of patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to identify potential barriers to implementing palliative care in these patients and to correlate these responses with doctor's years of experience. A link to an online survey was sent to pulmonologists on (a) symptom management, (b) structure of their department and collaboration with other services, (c) specialized medical training in palliative care, (d) communication with patients and their families, and (e) limiting barriers identified in the management of these patients. A total of 387 responses were received. The majority used opioids to treat dyspnea (52.9%) or pain (54.2%) and many treated anxiety/depression (41%). Around half of the respondents had no established routines in their departments to offer palliative care to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There was little communication with end-of-life patients and thei...
Source: COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: COPD Source Type: research