Analgesics and palliative care – integration into clinical practice

Palliative care by the definition of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is active, total care of patients in the terminally phase of a life-limiting illness. The aim of palliative care is the best quality of life for the terminally ill and their families. The fundamental concept of palliative care is symptom treatment, primarily pain management, but also of other symptoms like nausea and vomiting, sleep disturbances, dyspnoea, anorexia, pressure sores. A holistic approach to the child and family is incorporated in the palliative care concept and for the quality of life of a terminally ill child psychological, social and spiritual care must be included.

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