she is being dosed with morphine and Ativan (strength? and both dehydrate, aiding to demise. i.e. she's being keep drugged - get it?
some side effect of Ativan are
Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible: •confusion •depression •double vision or abnormal eye movements •hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that are not really there) •lightheadedness or fainting spells •mood changes, excitability or aggressive behavior •movement difficulty, staggering or jerky movements •muscle cramps •restlessness •tremors •weakness or tiredness Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome): •constipation or diarrhea •difficulty sleeping, nightmares •dizziness, drowsiness, clumsiness, or unsteadiness; a "hangover" effect •headache •loss of memory •nausea, vomiting
Clinical and Financial Lessons from the Oregon Experience
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First, the rate of admission to hospice increased 20% in 1995 and continues to increase [4]. Preliminary estimates suggest that Oregon has moved from fifth to third in the rate of hospice admissions over the past 2 years. Of Oregonians who die each year, 29% are doing so with hospice support; the national Figure isonly 17% (Jackson A. Personal communication). Second, Quill and colleagues also refer to the tremendous amount of suffering experienced by dying patients across the United States [1]; SUPPORT found that 50% of those who died had moderate to severe pain at least half of the time during their last 3 days of life [3]. In most states, morphine and other medications to control moderate to severe pain and suffering are underprescribed. Oregon currently leads the United States in the medical use of morphine, as measured in milligrams per 100 000 persons. From 1994 through 1996, Oregon increased its medical use of morphine by 70% [11]. Oregon is fortunate to have fewer impediments to appropriate prescribing practices than some other states (for example, we do not have triplicate forms).