Approach to drug therapy for catastrophic terminal events in palliative care

The aim of drug therapy for a catastrophic terminal event is to relieve distress by causing sedation and reducing awareness, not to hasten death. The following drug recommendations are based on the consensus view of the Palliative Care Expert group; clinical evidence is lacking.

The approach to drug therapy for a catastrophic terminal event depends on the availability of treatment by a healthcare professional:

• For patients with immediate access to a healthcare professional, see Drug regimens for catastrophic terminal events in patients who have immediate access to a healthcare professional.
• For patients without immediate access to a healthcare professional, drug therapy is guided by the patient’s management plan. If this information is not available, seek urgent expert palliative care advice; drug recommendations for patients who have immediate access to a healthcare professional may be appropriate.