Constipation Prevalence Constipation is the infrequent and difficult passage of small hard faeces. About 80% of patients in palliative care will require laxatives. Constipation Definition Infrequent hard stools Associated symptoms…
Oral hygiene The importance of providing regular oral care cannot be overstated. Oral hygiene measures should be performed at least twice a day, if they are to benefit the patient….
Support from family and friends Three quarters of patients receive care at home from informal carers in the last months of life. Patients without cancer are less likely than those…
Managing nausea and vomiting Adequate relief of these symptoms requires systematic assessment of the patient to diagnose the most likely cause(s). If the cause can be reversed—for example, with surgery…
Introduction All patients are entitled to good palliative care, and it is a necessary part of any practitioner’s armamentarium. General clinicians and specialists therefore need a flexible and effective understanding…
Which children need care? Fortunately, deaths in childhood that can be anticipated and for which palliative care can be planned are rare. A report by ACT (Association for Children with…
Principles An analytical approach to symptom control continues but usually relies on clinical findings rather than investigation. This approach spans all causes of terminal illness and applies to care at…
What is cachexia? Cachexia, anorexia, and fatigue are an overlapping and often neglected group of symptoms that at some stage affect most patients with cancer. Similar symptoms may be seen…
Opioid irrelevant pain Pain is not just a physical experience. Patients with pain that does not respond to escalating doses of opioids should be reassessed and other contributors to their…
Hypercalcemia Hypercalcaemia is the most common life threatening metabolic disorder encountered in patients with cancer. The incidence varies with the underlying malignancy, being most common in multiple myeloma and breast…
