Palliative Care

Abstract

Palliative care is the care of patients whose disease is incurable and whose life expectancy is limited to weeks or months. This commentary describes the development of modern palliative care, some of the elements and underlying philosophical constructs of such care, and calls for expansion and improvement in end of life care throughout the world.

Key Words:

• Palliative care
• hospice
• symptom management
• ethics
• spirtuality

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert G. Twycross

Cherokee Layson-Wolf, PharmD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. At the time that this review was conducted, she was a Community Care Pharmacy Practice Resident at Virginia Commonwealth University.