Maintenance or withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration at the end of life: bioethical reflection based on a case report

• Autor(a) principal: Chaves, Petra
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Sobral, Maria Ana, Machado, Gabriela
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.34632/cadernosdesaude.2023.11692

Introduction: The maintenance or withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration regarding patients at the end of life is nowadays a frequent ethical dilemma. In a home-based context, this is an issue that health care providers, patients and families face together, and requires continuous reflection on conduct in the best interest of the ill patient. Aim: To promote a bioethical reflection on maintenance or withdrawal of artificial hydration and nutrition of patients at the end of life in a home-based context. Materials and methods: Bioethical clinical case analysis respecting the challenging problem of maintenance or withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration in a home-based care environment, taking into account the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence and autonomy. Results: Regarding the risks and benefits of artificial nutrition and hydration and the point in the trajectory of the disease, the ethical principles of beneficence and non-maleficence were considered. The principle of autonomy was also taken into account, as the patient expressed the will to stay at home and had accepted comfort and quality of life measures. Conclusion: After discussion with the team and family, it was decided to withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration. Bioethical reflection is essential in decision-making concerning complex ethical problems, being one of the core competencies of palliative care specialized teams.