Pharmacological Treatment for Terminal Agitation, Delirium and Anxiety in Frail Older Patients.

Context: Psychological distress symptoms in the last days of life often contribute to the overall symptom burden in frail older patients. Good symptom management practices are crucial to ensure high-quality end-of-life care in an aging population, though the best pharmacological approach to treat these psychological symptoms has yet to be established.

Objectives: To identify current evidence-based and practice-based knowledge of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of agitation, delirium, and anxiety during the last days of life in frail older patients.