[Palliative treatment of patients in terminal phase. Experience at the Unité de Soins Palliatifs of the Hôpital International de l'Université de Paris]

Abstract

The development of palliative care is relatively new in France. This study analyzed our observations made in the Palliative Care unit of the Hopital International de l'Université de Paris. The most common complaints were: being bedridden (38%), pain (23%), dyspnea (10%), intestinal irregularities (10%). The importance of being bedridden and the complexity of its handling are emphasized. Dyspnea is common when sought (54%) and hard to alleviate due to a lack of appropriate symptomatic therapies. Reduced survival rates were found for patients with Karnovsky indexes below 30% and taking morphine. Length of survival varied as a function of awareness of the diagnosis and family support.