Artificial rehydration in the last days of life: is it beneficial?

Dehydration is a common concern in palliative care, and can be an emotive issue for patients and their families (Patchett, 1998). Family members instinctively wish to continue caring for a dying relative, and no more so than by giving nourishment. When the time comes that food cannot be tolerated, giving fluid can seem to be the last way of providing the patient with comfort and nurture. Dehydration may be perceived as the reason for death, rather than a natural part of the dying process. Is it therefore reasonable to give patients fluid by an alternative method? Hypodermoclysis (HDC), or subcutaneous hydration, is sometimes used to administer fluids in the last days of life in a palliative care setting. This article aims to consider the benefits and problems associated with artificial rehydration in these circumstances.