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Palliative medicine is a booming area of medicine. However, there is some doubt about what palliative treatment is, how it works, who should receive it, what it is, and why.

Palliative care aims to enhance the quality of life for patients suffering from life-altering diseases. Sometimes, it's referred to as supportive care.

Palliative care aims to improve general health and wellness, including physical and emotional well-being and spiritual and social wellbeing.

Is palliative treatment a form of care?

Palliative care aims to improve the health of those suffering from a severe illness. This includes signs and stress that come with being a patient with the effects of a chronic illness. It could also provide the support of loved ones or caregivers.

Because it's based upon personal needs, palliative treatment may differ from one patient to the next. The care plan could include some or all of the following objectives:

* relieving symptoms, which include adverse effects of treatment.

* gaining a better understanding of illnesses and their development.

* Identifying and meeting spiritual and practical requirements.

* aiding in coping with mood changes and feelings related to illnesses.

• aiding in understanding the treatment options and making treatment decisions, and coordinating the care.

* identifying and gaining access to additional resources for support.

Palliative care examples

Palliative treatment is an option for a variety of conditions. The most frequent ailments for which palliative care may be beneficial include:

* Cancer

* Cardiovascular illnesses

* Dementia

* Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD)

These examples are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Palliative treatment for cancer

Cancer is among the most frequent illnesses related to palliative care since both symptoms and treatment may significantly impact the quality of your living.

Palliative cancer care varies depending on:

* The kind of cancer

* Symptoms

* Treatment

* Age

* Prognosis

Anyone who has had a recent cancer diagnosis may receive palliative treatment to help manage the adverse effects of radiation or chemotherapy or to assist them in recovering from surgery.

Cancer palliative care often involves treatments for depression or anxiety and tools that aid family members in planning for the future.

Palliative care for heart disease

Cardiovascular conditions can impact the quality of life of an individual and their ability to take care of themselves. The most common cardiovascular diseases are:

* Heart failure

* Coronary artery disease

* Stroke

* Aortic stenosis

The palliative care system is not being utilized in the world for patients with heart disease, as per The World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source.

In a review of a 2019 study and Chughtai lab report, researchers looked at patterns in the death places for those suffering from the cardiovascular disease across the United States. The review reveals that early palliative treatment can aid in ensuring that patients with these illnesses will have the preferred end-of-life outcomes. The increase in early palliative care could boost the number of people who seek hospice care.

The palliative care offered to patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases can help patients with various symptoms and support mental health and decision-making for patients and their family members. It could also help in planning for the end of life, should it be required.

Palliative care for dementia

Dementia is a sign of deterioration in brain function. It can significantly affect an individual's

* Cognition

* Memory

* Language

* Judgment

* Behavior

Palliative care could include treatments for dementia-related anxiety. As the disease progresses, it could require helping family members make difficult decisions regarding feeding or caring for their loved ones. This may also mean assistance for caregivers of the family.

Palliative treatment for COPD

Palliative care can assist people in dealing with COPD, a respiratory condition that causes shortness of breath and coughing.

In this case, palliative treatment could include treatments for anxiety, discomfort, or insomnia caused by breathing problems. You may also receive advice regarding lifestyle modifications like stopping smoking, which can increase your activity level and reduce your condition's severity.

What are the advantages of palliative treatment?

Palliative treatment aims to enhance your quality of life for those suffering from terminal or severe illness and help their families. Some of the benefits include:

* Support for managing symptoms. Specialists in palliative care can assist those with symptom management and pain management, according to an article from 2017—review trusted sources on patients who have advanced cancer.

• Improved quality of living. According to a study in 2020 conducted by Trusted Source on those with Parkinson's disease and related disorders, patients who received palliative treatment measured their quality of living at three points better than those who received conventional treatment.

* Lower risk of depression. Early palliative treatment is associated with a reduced risk of depression among patients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer, according to a review published in 2017—Research Source.

* Longer survival. This review also suggests that depression and death could be related, leading to more prolonged trusted Source survival for those with advanced cancer receiving palliative care.

* Support in making decisions. Palliative care specialists offer support to patients diagnosed with a severe illness and their families to make informed decisions regarding the treatment and care they receive for their disease and provide support for managing their emotions when faced with the diagnosis.

* Help for caregivers and family members. The palliative care program can provide educational and emotional assistance for family members who care for a loved one suffering from a severe illness.

• Improved satisfaction of caregivers. According to a report from the 2016 review, trusted sources of palliative care consistently improves the satisfaction of the patient and the caregiver.