Retrospective investigation of sedation during the dying period of terminally ill cancer patients receiving home treatment

Abstract

Sedation may be necessary to manage difficult-to-treat pain in terminally ill cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of sedation for cancer patients receiving home care. We aimed to clarify the relationship between the use of sedatives during the dying phase of terminally ill cancer patients at our hospital and the duration of home care, and to report on the implementation rate of sedation and its actual status.