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The agony of agonal respiration: is the last gasp necessary?

dc.contributor.authorPerkin, R. M.en_US
dc.contributor.authorResnik, D. B.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-01-21T19:35:07Zen_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-17T00:49:06Z
dc.date.available2011-01-21T19:35:07Zen_US
dc.date.available2011-05-17T00:49:06Z
dc.date.issued2002-06en_US
dc.description.abstractGasping respiration in the dying patient is the last respiratory pattern prior to terminal apnoea. The duration of the gasping respiration phase varies; it may be as brief as one or two breaths to a prolonged period of gasping lasting minutes or even hours. Gasping respiration is very abnormal, easy to recognise and distinguish from other respiratory patterns and, in the dying patient who has elected to not be resuscitated, will always result in terminal apnoea. Gasping respiration is also referred to as agonal respiration and the name is appropriate because the gasping breaths appear uncomfortable and raise concern that the patient is suffering and in agony. Enough uncertainty exists about the influence of gasping respiration on patient wellbeing, that it is appropriate to assume that the gasping breaths are burdensome to patients. Therefore, gasping respiration at the end of life should be treated. We propose that there is an ethical basis, in rare circumstances, for the use of neuromuscular blockade to suppress prolonged episodes of agonal respiration in the well-sedated patient in order to allow a peaceful and comfortable death. Originally published Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 28, No. 3, June 2002en_US
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Medical Ethics; 28:3 p. 164-169en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1136/jme.28.3.164
dc.identifier.pmidPMC1733591en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10342/3067en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherEast Carolina Universityen_US
dc.relation.urihttp://jme.bmj.com/content/by/year/2002en_US
dc.subjectAgonal respirationen_US
dc.subjectNeuromuscular blockeren_US
dc.subjectEnd of life careen_US
dc.titleThe agony of agonal respiration: is the last gasp necessary?en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
ecu.journal.issue3
ecu.journal.nameJournal of Medical Ethics
ecu.journal.pages164-169
ecu.journal.volume28

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