American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Register here to gain access to SAGE's 500+ Journals Online

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bakker, J.
Right arrow Articles by Kompanje, E. J. O.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bakker, J.
Right arrow Articles by Kompanje, E. J. O.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 25, No. 2, 152-154 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1049909108315511

Why Opioids and Sedatives May Prolong Life Rather Than Hasten Death After Ventilator Withdrawal in Critically Ill Patients

Jan Bakker, MD, PhD

Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, jan.bakker{at}erasmusmc.nl

Tim C. Jansen, MD

Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Alex Lima, MD

Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Erwin J. O. Kompanje, MD, PhD

Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The process of death in patients in whom cardiorespiratory support is withdrawn is related to the occurrence of tissue hypoxia that results from an imbalance between the demand for oxygen and the delivery of oxygen to the organs. Limiting the demand for oxygen may thus delay the occurrence of tissue hypoxia. Because the demand for oxygen increases significantly after ventilator withdrawal and because sedatives and opioids are known to decrease the demand for oxygen in patients with cardiorespiratory distress, these agents might thus actually prolong life rather than hasten death.

Key Words: palliative care • tissue hypoxia • opioids


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?