Withholding and withdrawing life support from the critically ill: how does it work in clinical practice?

Withholding and withdrawing life support from the critically ill commonly occurs in clinical practice. Sedatives and analgesics are frequently given during this process to patients who are not so deeply comatose that they cannot benefit from them. The withholding and withdrawal of life support is compatible with several judicial decisions, including the recent Cruzan decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. Recent studies are providing insights into how, why, and under what circumstances the withholding and withdrawal of life support take place, and how drugs are administered during these processes. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate these processes and to contribute to the shaping of realistic and humane standards of terminal care.