Symptom Relief and Palliative Care during the Last Week of Life among Patients with Heart Failure : A National Register Study
(2018) In Journal of Palliative Medicine 21(3). p.361-367- Abstract
Background: Heart failure is a disease with high morbidity, mortality, and physical and psychological burden. More knowledge about the care provided for patients with heart failure close to death is needed. Objective: The aim was to describe key aspects of palliative care during the last week of life in patients with heart failure, as reported by healthcare professionals. Design: This is a national register study. Setting/Subjects: The study included 3981 patients with diagnosed heart failure as the underlying cause of death. Measurements: Data were obtained from the Swedish Register of Palliative Care, a national quality register that focuses on patients' last week of life, independent of diagnosis or care setting. The register... (More)
Background: Heart failure is a disease with high morbidity, mortality, and physical and psychological burden. More knowledge about the care provided for patients with heart failure close to death is needed. Objective: The aim was to describe key aspects of palliative care during the last week of life in patients with heart failure, as reported by healthcare professionals. Design: This is a national register study. Setting/Subjects: The study included 3981 patients with diagnosed heart failure as the underlying cause of death. Measurements: Data were obtained from the Swedish Register of Palliative Care, a national quality register that focuses on patients' last week of life, independent of diagnosis or care setting. The register includes information about care interventions connected with key aspects of palliative care. Data are reported retrospectively by a nurse or physician at the healthcare unit where the patient dies. Results: Only 4.2% of patients with heart failure received specialized palliative care. In their last week of life, symptom prevalence was high, validated scales were seldom used, and symptoms were unsatisfactorily relieved. Around one-fifth (17%) of the patients in the study died alone. Less than half of family members had been offered bereavement support (45%). Moreover, one-third (28%) of the patients and more than half (61%) of the family members were reported to have had end-of-life discussions with a physician during the illness trajectory. Conclusion: The results indicate inadequate palliative care for patients with heart failure during their last week of life.
(Less)
- author
- Årestedt, Kristofer ; Alvariza, Anette ; Boman, Kurt ; Öhlén, Joakim ; Goliath, Ida ; Håkanson, Cecilia ; Fürst, Carl Johan LU and Brännström, Margareta
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-03-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- end-of-life care, heart failure, palliative care, registry study, symptom
- in
- Journal of Palliative Medicine
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 7 pages
- publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:29048982
- scopus:85045200081
- ISSN
- 1096-6218
- DOI
- 10.1089/jpm.2017.0125
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0b3bace5-b67d-42e8-a3bc-b675c23ec4ba
- date added to LUP
- 2018-04-25 15:06:45
- date last changed
- 2024-04-15 05:54:24
@article{0b3bace5-b67d-42e8-a3bc-b675c23ec4ba,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Heart failure is a disease with high morbidity, mortality, and physical and psychological burden. More knowledge about the care provided for patients with heart failure close to death is needed. Objective: The aim was to describe key aspects of palliative care during the last week of life in patients with heart failure, as reported by healthcare professionals. Design: This is a national register study. Setting/Subjects: The study included 3981 patients with diagnosed heart failure as the underlying cause of death. Measurements: Data were obtained from the Swedish Register of Palliative Care, a national quality register that focuses on patients' last week of life, independent of diagnosis or care setting. The register includes information about care interventions connected with key aspects of palliative care. Data are reported retrospectively by a nurse or physician at the healthcare unit where the patient dies. Results: Only 4.2% of patients with heart failure received specialized palliative care. In their last week of life, symptom prevalence was high, validated scales were seldom used, and symptoms were unsatisfactorily relieved. Around one-fifth (17%) of the patients in the study died alone. Less than half of family members had been offered bereavement support (45%). Moreover, one-third (28%) of the patients and more than half (61%) of the family members were reported to have had end-of-life discussions with a physician during the illness trajectory. Conclusion: The results indicate inadequate palliative care for patients with heart failure during their last week of life.</p>}},
author = {{Årestedt, Kristofer and Alvariza, Anette and Boman, Kurt and Öhlén, Joakim and Goliath, Ida and Håkanson, Cecilia and Fürst, Carl Johan and Brännström, Margareta}},
issn = {{1096-6218}},
keywords = {{end-of-life care; heart failure; palliative care; registry study; symptom}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{361--367}},
publisher = {{Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.}},
series = {{Journal of Palliative Medicine}},
title = {{Symptom Relief and Palliative Care during the Last Week of Life among Patients with Heart Failure : A National Register Study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2017.0125}},
doi = {{10.1089/jpm.2017.0125}},
volume = {{21}},
year = {{2018}},
}