A review of sedation for intractable distress in the dying

Care of the dying can be a complex and challenging area of healthcare. For some patients as they enter the terminal phase of their illness and start to die, new symptoms can emerge, whilst other pre-existing symptoms become more troublesome. Occasionally despite intensive efforts and expert intervention these symptoms can remain uncontrolled. Within the specialty of palliative medicine such symptoms are known as refractory symptoms and there is the practice of using sedation therapy for the relief of such symptoms. This article will review the use of sedation to relieve refractory symptoms in the terminally ill.