Palliative Care in Neurology

Raymond Voltz, Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology and Department of Neurology, Klinikum Grosshadern, Munich, Germany, James L. Bernat, Neurology Section, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, USA, Gian Domenico Borasio, Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Unit and Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Germany, Ian Maddocks, Emeritus Professor, Flinders University of South Australia, South Australia, David Oliver, Medical Director, Wisdom Hospice, Rochester, Kent, and Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent, UK, Russell Portenoy, Chairman, Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, USA Palliative care is the duty of every neurologist: however, to date, this has not been a standard feature of neurological practice or training. This book helps define a new field, namely palliative care in neurology. It brings together all necessary information for neurologists caring for a patient with advance disease. Palliative care is an approach to the management of patients with life-threatening illness that attempts to enhance comfort, relieve psychosocial and spiritual distress, assure respect for decision making, provide support for the family, and prepare the patient and family for the end of life. This unique book covers each of the many dimensions of palliative care as they relate to patients with advanced neurological disorders. Basic principles of palliative care and specific ethical issues (such as euthanasia, food and hydration and advance directives) are covered. The needs of populations with specific neurological disorders are described and the management of symptoms that are common to all is explored in detail. Each chapter introduces its topic using a case report which may be used directly for teaching purposes. The authors have put together an invaluable resource, which lays the foundation for further research in the field.