Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case
Introduction Thanks to advances in medicine, more diseases are being cured, but this benefit can become a problem when it causes a worsening of quality of life. Objectives The objective of this paper is to analyze, regarding the following case, the convenience of treating or to limit the therape...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010002/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827754164050984960 |
|---|---|
| author | C. Martín Villarroel L. Carpio Garcia J. Dominguez Cutanda G. Belmonte García J. Matsuura M. Sánchez Revuelta M. Fernández-Torija Daza E. García |
| author_facet | C. Martín Villarroel L. Carpio Garcia J. Dominguez Cutanda G. Belmonte García J. Matsuura M. Sánchez Revuelta M. Fernández-Torija Daza E. García |
| author_sort | C. Martín Villarroel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Thanks to advances in medicine, more diseases are being cured, but this benefit can become a problem when it causes a worsening of quality of life.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to analyze, regarding the following case, the convenience of treating or to limit the therapeutic effort (LTE) in psychiatric patients who are in situations at the end of life.
Methods
62-year-old woman begins with depressive symptoms from financial problems. In 4 months ago she makes four suicide attempts (drug overdose, cuts, self-stabbing, and precipitation), being hospitalized in ICU after latter because of multiple trauma and shock. During that time, she had a bad evolution with several complications that made LTE be evaluated. A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about LTE and ethical implications.
Results
Trying to prolong life by disproportionate means in a patient with a poor prognosis or poor quality of life is bad practice. We must assess the severity, quality of life, capacity and preferences of the patient to decide to treat or not, thus guaranteeing the principle of beneficence. It is also important to respect the principle of autonomy, accepting patients can refuse treatment. All this is equally applicable to psychiatric patients, whom we should not stigmatize but rather evaluate their ability to decide, as in any person.
Conclusions
In conclusion, in situations of high suffering and near death, it is necessary a complete evaluation of the patient (psychiatric or not) is carried out in order to act in the most ethical way.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:46:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-807f0e78bec14d238e406596d673a63e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:46:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-807f0e78bec14d238e406596d673a63e2023-11-17T05:07:37ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S373S37310.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1000Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a caseC. Martín Villarroel0L. Carpio Garcia1J. Dominguez Cutanda2G. Belmonte García3J. Matsuura4M. Sánchez Revuelta5M. Fernández-Torija Daza6E. García7Psiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, SpainPsiquiatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, Spain Introduction Thanks to advances in medicine, more diseases are being cured, but this benefit can become a problem when it causes a worsening of quality of life. Objectives The objective of this paper is to analyze, regarding the following case, the convenience of treating or to limit the therapeutic effort (LTE) in psychiatric patients who are in situations at the end of life. Methods 62-year-old woman begins with depressive symptoms from financial problems. In 4 months ago she makes four suicide attempts (drug overdose, cuts, self-stabbing, and precipitation), being hospitalized in ICU after latter because of multiple trauma and shock. During that time, she had a bad evolution with several complications that made LTE be evaluated. A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about LTE and ethical implications. Results Trying to prolong life by disproportionate means in a patient with a poor prognosis or poor quality of life is bad practice. We must assess the severity, quality of life, capacity and preferences of the patient to decide to treat or not, thus guaranteeing the principle of beneficence. It is also important to respect the principle of autonomy, accepting patients can refuse treatment. All this is equally applicable to psychiatric patients, whom we should not stigmatize but rather evaluate their ability to decide, as in any person. Conclusions In conclusion, in situations of high suffering and near death, it is necessary a complete evaluation of the patient (psychiatric or not) is carried out in order to act in the most ethical way. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010002/type/journal_articleautonomylimit the therapeutic effortethicalquality of life |
| spellingShingle | C. Martín Villarroel L. Carpio Garcia J. Dominguez Cutanda G. Belmonte García J. Matsuura M. Sánchez Revuelta M. Fernández-Torija Daza E. García Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case European Psychiatry autonomy limit the therapeutic effort ethical quality of life |
| title | Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case |
| title_full | Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case |
| title_fullStr | Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case |
| title_full_unstemmed | Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case |
| title_short | Limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients. about a case |
| title_sort | limitation of therapeutic effort in pychiatric patients about a case |
| topic | autonomy limit the therapeutic effort ethical quality of life |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010002/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cmartinvillarroel limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT lcarpiogarcia limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT jdominguezcutanda limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT gbelmontegarcia limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT jmatsuura limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT msanchezrevuelta limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT mfernandeztorijadaza limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase AT egarcia limitationoftherapeuticeffortinpychiatricpatientsaboutacase |