Some patients receive a large number of medications, some of limited short-term benefit. A patient with a limited life expectancy or receiving palliative care may benefit from discontinuation of some of these medicines.
Target population:
(1) terminal cancer in palliative care
(2) end-stage organ failure in palliative care
(3) very limited life expectancy
Drugs to discontinue:
(1) any without tangible short-term benefit
(2) any causing a significant adverse reaction
(3) any that are expensive
(4) any causing problems with compliance
Drugs to continue:
(1) those that maintain or improve the patient's quality of life
(2) those that alleviate pain or other adverse effects
Precautions:
(1) possible discontinuation, rebound or withdrawal reaction
(2) resistance from the patient or the patient's family
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