Why can someone feel profoundly breathless even when their oxygen levels are normal? And why might morphine help more than oxygen?
In Episode 4 of our palliative care series, we unpack the difference between breathlessness and hypoxaemia, why oxygen is not always the answer, and how low-dose opioids can reduce the distress and sensation of struggling to breathe.
We also cover reversible causes of breathlessness, the surprisingly useful role of a handheld fan, non-drug strategies, COPD and carbon dioxide retention, benzodiazepines, oxygen in the final days of life, and one of the biggest fears families have: does giving morphine for breathlessness hasten death?
For clinicians, pharmacists and anyone wanting a deeper understanding of palliative medicines, with reflective questions at the end to support CPD.
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