Cuidados paliativos

Definição
• Especialidade médica*
• Área de atuação*
• Foco na prevenção e alívio de sofrimento e suporte à qualidade de vida de pacientes e seus familiares frente a doenças sérias.

Definição
• The WHO defines palliative care as: “An approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life- threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual”
• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have endorsed the following definition: “Palliative care means patient and family-centered care that optimizes quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating suffering. Palliative care throughout the continuum of illness involves addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs and facilitating patient autonomy, access to information, and choice”
• The Center to Advance Palliative Care defines palliative care as: “Specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses...focused on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness — whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment”

Cuidados paliativos - Pediatria
“Toda criança que tenha o diagnóstico de uma doença crônica, que ameaça à vida, deve receber cuidados paliativos” (Hilmelstein, 2006)
1. Condições nas quais o tratamento curativo é possível, mas pode haver falha terapêutica – pacientes oncológicos.
2. Condições que exigem tratamentos longos, com o objetivo de melhorar a qualidade de vida