12th January 2024

Palliative Care in Respiratory Failure

Early palliative care can relieve suffering and provide support for people with end-stage respiratory failure. Interventions to provide symptomatic management of dyspnoea, cough, haemoptysis, excessive respiratory secretions, fatigue and anxiety should be offered, especially as the end of life nears.

Regular doses of short-acting morphine 2-4 hourly can help relieve both the pain and sense of breathlessness. Low dose of an anxiolytic-like Lorazepam may help alleviate anxiety/agitation. Certain anticholinergics like Glycopyrronium can help get rid of excessively troublesome respiratory secretions.

Respiratory stimulant drugs like Doxapram can be tried in patients not suitable for ventilation.