Antibiotic use in the last week of life in three different palliative care settings

The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and types of antibiotics prescribed in the last week of life in three different palliative care settings, including an acute care hospital, tertiary palliative care unit, and three hospice units. A total of 150 consecutive patients were evaluated, 50 in each of the three settings. Twenty-nine patients (58%) in the acute hospital setting, 26 (52%) in the tertiary palliative care unit, and 11(22%) in the hospice settings were prescribed antibiotics. In the acute care and tertiary palliative care settings, the most frequent route of antibiotic administration was intravenous and, in the hospice setting, oral. We conclude that there is marked variability in the numbers and types of antibiotics prescribed in these different palliative care settings in the last week of life. The high use of intravenous antibiotics and the large number of patients who were still receiving antibiotics at the time of death indicate the need for further prospective studies.