Palliative care refers to treatments that relieve pain and manage other symptoms in patients living with a chronic illness or nearing the end of life, notes Dr. Sabrina Raquel Bretón Cervera, anesthesiologist and palliative care specialist at ABC Medical Center.
The World Health Organization notes that a wide range of illnesses require palliative care. Most adults who need it live with chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (38.5%), cancer (34%), chronic respiratory disease (10.3%), AIDS (5.7%), and diabetes (4.6%).
Symptoms that palliative care can help manage, whether related to the primary illness or overall condition, include vomiting, constipation, shortness of breath, and nausea, among others.
A care team that includes the primary care physician and a palliative care specialist works together to consider each patient’s specific needs and provide the greatest possible comfort. Beyond physical support, this care also includes emotional, psychological, and spiritual support, all aimed at the same goal.
Together, this creates a support network that accompanies the patient throughout their illness, whether or not it’s curable.
In palliative care, what matters most is making sure the patient feels heard, and their family too, concludes Dr. Bretón.
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