Shah S, Lloyd-Williams M
Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QE, UK.
Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2003 Sep;12(3):212-4. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2354.2003.00408.x.
There are wide-spread misconceptions about palliative care. Various treatments used in palliative care have a potential to shorten, and at times even prolong life. However, such treatments are used with a view to enhance quality of life and/or death. Withholding and withdrawal of life-prolonging treatments are not equivalent to assisting death. It is important that patients who are approaching death are sensitively encouraged to make informed choices about such treatments. At the same time, there is no obligation on part of a health professional to provide a futile treatment. This personal view of two palliative care physicians aims to explore some of the difficulties surrounding end-of-life care.
关于缓和医疗存在广泛的误解。缓和医疗中使用的各种治疗方法有可能缩短生命，有时甚至延长生命。然而，使用这些治疗方法的目的是提高生活质量和/或死亡质量。停止和撤销延长生命的治疗并不等同于协助死亡。重要的是，要敏感地鼓励濒临死亡的患者就此类治疗做出明智的选择。同时，医疗专业人员没有义务提供无效的治疗。这两位缓和医疗医生的个人观点旨在探讨围绕临终关怀的一些困难。
