%0 Journal Article
%T Pharmacologic Management of End-of-Life Delirium: Translating Evidence into Practice.
%A Hui D
%A Cheng SY
%A Paiva CE
%J Cancers (Basel)
%V 16
%N 11
%D 2024 May 28
%M 38893163
%F 6.575
%R 10.3390/cancers16112045
%X End-of-life delirium affects a vast majority of patients before death. It is highly distressing and often associated with restlessness or agitation. Unlike delirium in other settings, it is considered irreversible, and non-pharmacologic measures may be less feasible. The objective of this review is to provide an in-depth discussion of the clinical trials on delirium in the palliative care setting, with a particular focus on studies investigating pharmacologic interventions for end-of-life delirium. To date, only six randomized trials have examined pharmacologic options in palliative care populations, and only two have focused on end-of-life delirium. These studies suggest that neuroleptics and benzodiazepines may be beneficial for the control of the terminal restlessness or agitation associated with end-of-life delirium. However, existing studies have significant methodologic limitations. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and examine novel therapeutic options to manage this distressing syndrome.