Symptom control in end-of-life care: pain, eating, acute illnesses, panic attacks, and aggressive care.

This feature is based on actual questions and answers adapted from a service provided by the Hospice Foundation of America. Queries addressing the propriety of managing acute medical conditions in patients enrolled in a terminal care program and the mistaken belief that death from cancer is always painful are provided. Questions included in this set address management of acute medical conditions during end-of-life care, the lack of inevitability of pain with cancer, nutrition in advanced disease, managing panic attacks, and appropriate care for a dying 90 year old gentleman.