Palliative care defines illness as

Palliative care defines illness as whatever is experienced by the patient. Physicians grossly underestimate symptoms in most patients.17,19 Patients volunteer an average of two or three symptoms; this figure almost quadruples with a formal review of systems. In a study of 1,000 advanced cancer patients,19 the 10 most commonly elicited symptoms were pain, easy fatigability, weakness, anorexia, weight loss, lack of energy, dry mouth, constipation, dysphagia, and early satiety. These symptoms were found in more than 50% of patients surveyed. All symptoms were clinically disabling and all contributed to poor quality of life. Gender and age differences in symptom prevalence also exist. For example, nausea and vomiting are more commonly experienced by women, and dysphagia is more common in men. The young experience sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, vomiting, and have headaches more often than older adults. Symptoms and severity change with disease progression. Symptoms associated with a poorer prognosis are anorexia, dysphagia, hallucinations, weight loss, early satiety, and dyspnea.20Health-related quality-of-life tools help assess the most prevalent symptoms and measure the detrimental effects these symptoms have on quality of life.21 The extent of investigations for symptoms depends on an appropriate patient-centered plan of care, available treatment options, and course of the illness. Prescribing for symptoms has been described in detail in the literature. Principles of good prescribing include the following:Using one drug for several symptomsChoosing medications with the fewest drug interactionsUsing medications with reduced side effectsChoosing drugs with multiple routes of administrationDrug efficacy, drug costs, and therapeutic index (dose toxicity to dose response) are other important considerations. A number of books have been published on the management of symptoms.22-24

Palliative care defines illness as whatever is experienced by the patient. Physicians grossly underestimate symptoms in most patients.17,19 Patients volunteer an average of two or three symptoms; this figure almost quadruples with a formal review of systems. In a study of 1,000 advanced cancer patients, 19 the 10 most commonly elicited symptoms were pain, easy fatigability, weakness, anorexia, weight loss, lack of energy, dry mouth, constipation, dysphagia, and early satiety. These symptoms were found in more than 50% of patients surveyed. All symptoms were clinically disabling and all contributed to poor quality of life. Gender and age differences in symptom prevalence also exist. For example, nausea and vomiting are more commonly experienced by women, and dysphagia is more common in men. The young experience sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, vomiting, and have headaches more often than older adults. Symptoms and severity change with disease progression. Symptoms associated with a Poorer PROGNOSIS are Anorexia, dysphagia, hallucinations, weight Loss, Early satiety, and Dyspnea.20 Health-related quality-of-Life Tools Help Assess the Most prevalent symptoms and measure the detrimental effects these symptoms have on quality of Life. .21 The extent of investigations for symptoms depends on an appropriate patient-centered plan of care, available treatment options, and course of the illness. Prescribing for symptoms has been described in detail in the literature. Principles of good prescribing include the following: Using one Drug for several symptoms Choosing Medications with the fewest Drug interactions Using Medications with reduced Side effects Choosing Drugs with multiple routes of Administration Drug efficacy, Drug costs, and therapeutic index (dose toxicity to dose response). are other important considerations. A number of books have been published on the management of symptoms.22-24.

Palliative care defines illness as whatever is experienced by the patient. Physicians grossly underestimate symptoms in. Most patients.17 19 Patients, volunteer an average of two or three symptoms; this figure almost quadruples with a formal. Review of systems. In a study, of 1 000 advanced cancer patients 19 The, 10 most commonly elicited symptoms, were pain easy. Fatigability weakness anorexia,,,Weight loss lack of, energy dry mouth,,,, constipation dysphagia and early satiety. These symptoms were found in more than 50% of. Patients surveyed. All symptoms were clinically disabling and all contributed to poor quality of life. Gender and age differences. In symptom prevalence also exist. For example nausea and, vomiting are more commonly experienced, by womenAnd dysphagia is more common in men. The young experience sleep disturbances depression anxiety,,,,, vomiting and have headaches More often than older adults. Symptoms and severity change with disease progression. Symptoms associated with a poorer prognosis. Are anorexia dysphagia hallucinations,,,,, weight loss early satiety and dyspnea.20

.Health-related quality-of-life tools help assess the most prevalent symptoms and measure the detrimental effects these. Symptoms have on quality of life. 21 The extent of investigations for symptoms depends on an appropriate patient-centered. Plan, of care available treatment options and course, of the illness. Prescribing for symptoms has been described in detail. In the literature.Principles of good prescribing include the following:

Using one drug for several symptoms
Choosing medications with the. Fewest drug interactions
Using medications with reduced side effects
Choosing drugs with multiple routes of administration
Drug. ,, efficacy drug costs and therapeutic index (dose toxicity to dose response) are other important considerations.A number of books have been published on the management of symptoms.22-24.