Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 1/2008

TERMINAL SEDATION OF CHILDREN IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Terminal sedation therapy is the use of specific sedative drugs to relieve intolerable suffering caused by symptoms refractory to other therapeutic intervention by a reduction in patient consciousness in the end of life. Palliative, terminal sedation is a controversial issue, it is very often compare to euthanasia. The goal of terminal sedation is relievin g suffering without shortening the life. It is accepted as a legal, therapeutic tool. According to the depth of patient unconsciousness, we describe three levels of sedation. The drugs used for terminal sedation are divided in to four groups. The decision about using terminal sedation should be discussed carefully with the emphasis on individuality of every patient. For some of them the terminal sedation is the last option how to relieve suffering from refractory symptom at the end of life.

Keywords: terminal sedation, refractory symptom, intolerable suffering, euthanasia, decision-making proces, types of sedation, using medicaments, hydratation, nutrition.