Defined as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness.
May be appropriate at any stage of disease, including at the time of diagnosis.
Aims to recognize, prevent, and alleviate suffering in patients with serious illnesses and their families.
An approach that improves quality of life of patients and their familires facing life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and assessment and reatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.
PC is applicable early in the course of illness and should be combined with other therapies intended to prolong life.
It is focused on providing patients with relief of symptoms including pain and stress for any diagnosis.
It is appropriate for any age and at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatments.
Uses a multidisciplinary approach to care for the patient and family as a unit throughout the illness from diagnosis to death.
Pain is the most common and most distressing symptom in palliative medicine.