Opioid Medication Errors in Patients Followed by Home Palliative Care Support Teams in the Community of Madrid.

The presence of comorbidities and complex drug regimens makes palliative care patients more susceptible to opioid medication errors. Most of the studies conducted so far have mainly focused on patients admitted to hospitals or hospice facilities. During this study, we examined the frequency of medication errors with opioids and the causes and consequences for patients, followed by home palliative care teams.

Palliative performance status, heart rate and respiratory rate as predictive factors of survival time in terminally ill cancer patients.

To determine which symptoms, signs, and characteristics that define the patient's functional status predict the survival time in terminally ill cancer patients, a prospective longitudinal study was conducted with terminally ill cancer patients followed by a Home Care Support Team. Patients were followed up with at least weekly visits until death, collecting variables at each visit. A Cox multivariate regression analysis took into account all the follow-ups in the same patient.