Living and dying with respiratory failure: facilitating decision making

Respiratory failure is a predictable cause of death in end stage lung disease including COPD and neuromuscular disorders, and the symptom burden for these individuals in the last six months of life is significant. Palliative care services are less well-developed for patients with chronic disorders compared to those with malignant disease; and communication problems can be compounded by a mismatch in expectations between patients and health care providers on prognosis and other issues. Most patients want more information about their illness to facilitate participation in decision making. Noninvasive ventilation may extend life and palliate symptoms in neuromuscular disorders such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and motor neurone disease/ALS.