Sedation indicated?-rethinking existential suffering: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: The indication "existential suffering (ES)" for palliative sedation therapy is included in most frameworks for palliative sedation and has been controversially discussed for decades. The appellative character of ES demands rapid relief and sedation often appears to be the best or only solution. ES is still poorly understood and so often neglected by health care professionals due to a lack of consensus regarding assessment, definition and treatment in the international medical literature.

[Austrian guideline for palliative sedation therapy (long version) : Results of a Delphi process of the Austrian Palliative Society (OPG)].

Background: Palliative sedation therapy (PST) is an important and ethically accepted therapy in the care of selected palliative care patients with otherwise unbearable suffering from refractory distress. PST is increasingly used in end-of-life care. Austria does not have a standardized ethical guideline for this exceptional practice near end of life, but there is evidence that practice varies throughout the country.

Sedation at the end of life - a nation-wide study in palliative care units in Austria.

Background: Sedation is used to an increasing extent in end-of-life care. Definitions and indications in this field are based on expert opinions and case series. Little is known about this practice at palliative care units in Austria.

[Paternalism and autonomy--no contradiction].

Patient autonomy became increasingly important during the last decades. It is often described to be an antagonist to medical paternalism. Like for patients with full decisional capacity, autonomy should also be protected for incapacitated patients.