Palliative care to elderly in critical care unit: feasible reality <b>[Abstract in English]</b>

Abstract

AIMS: This article discusses the role of Intensive Care Unit from the perspective of elderly with chronic diseases in advanced stage, considering that this place can be one of the alternatives for allocation of these patients, and in these cases palliative care are useful tools to work. SOURCE OF DATA: Articles from PubMed within the past 10 years were reviewed, using the key words Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Cuidados Paliativos, Critical Care Unit and Palliative Care. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS: The intersection between palliative care and the Intensive Care Unit should be understood in the context of changing patterns of disease and longevity of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases. Palliative care are clinical interventions directed at patients whose disease progression cause discomforting symptoms and signs, including elements associated with clinical instability. The practices of the Intensive Care Unit have as premises the restoration of physiology, and to achieve this goal they apply pharmacological resources, prostheses and artificial devices. The need to use palliative measures in the Intensive Care Unit was realized from information about the high prevalence of pain and other symptoms of suffering and distress, either to the patients, either for their families or for the team that attends them. CONCLUSIONS: We must strengthen healthcare professionals that palliative care are not incompatible with the Critical Care Unit. Rather, their relevance is in the way that their actions assist in the targeting of comfort.