Integrated Palliative Care of Respiratory Disease (PDF)

Palliative care of respiratory disease is often complex because of the high level of symptoms experienced by these patients and the variable and sometimes unpredictable trajectories of these diseases. It is often most appropriate to integrate palliative care into the multidisciplinary team with specialist palliative care clinicians working alongside the respiratory team. This encourages a focus on symptom management, supportive care and quality of life at an earlier stage in the disease process, and can facilitate discussions about advanced care planning and end of life issues.

Integrated Palliative Care of Respiratory Disease brings together the knowledge, skills and attitudes of specialists in both respiratory and palliative medicine to focus on the palliative care of patients with respiratory diseases. The book begins with an overview of palliative care principles in relation to the palliation of chronic progressive lung disease, then delves into the causation and management of specific respiratory symptoms, and concludes with an overview of the management of the major lung diseases. This comprehensive text deals not only with end of life care but also with symptom control and supportive care to improve the quality of life of those living with advanced progressive lung disease.  

This book is an invaluable reference for doctors, trainees and clinical nurse specialists in respiratory and palliative medicine, and would be of interest to anyone who wishes to gain a better understanding of the complex nature of palliative care in respiratory disease.