Respiratory Disease. From Advanced Disease to Bereavement (Oxford Specialist Handbooks)

About this book

• Short clinical scenarios provide practical illustration of points made in the text
• Written in a succinct, concise format to facilitate quick access to information
• Evidence based to help with postgraduate exams and giving state of the art care

Respiratory disease is the second most common cause of death worldwide. Patients with advanced non-malignant disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, have similar or even greater health care needs than those with advanced lung cancer. Uncontrolled symptoms, distress, and social isolation contribute to the poor quality of life experienced by such patients.

This book provides practical guidance to professionals who care for patients with advanced respiratory disease. It gives evidence-based advice on a wide range of topics, including management of respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms, chronic respiratory failure, and respiratory emergencies. Recognition of when a patient may be approaching the end of life can be particularly challenging in patients with advanced respiratory disease. Ways to facilitate prognostication are covered, along with the significant communication and ethical challenges that this phase of life can present.

Written by a respiratory specialist and two palliative medicine physicians, this book will be of great value to doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals working in respiratory medicine and in palliative care, both in relation to everyday clinical practice as well as meeting the requirements for postgraduate exams.

Readership: Trainees in respiratory medicine and palliative medicine, nurses and allied health professionals in both fields, and more senior staff who have specialised in another sub-specialty.

Table of Contents

1: End-stage respiratory disease
2: Chronic respiratory failure from end-stage disease
3: Health-related quality of life in end-stage respiratory disease
4: Recognizing the end of life phase
5: Respiratory symptoms
6: Non-respiratory symptoms
7: Emergencies in advanced respiratory disease
8: Communication with patients and families
9: Ethical and legal considerations
10: Multidisciplinary working
11: Practical management at the end of life
12: Care in the terminal phase
13: Spiritual and cultural needs
14: Caring for the carers

Author Information

Anna Spathis, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK, Helen E. Davies, Specialist Registrar in Respiratory and General Medicine, Oxford, UK, and Sara Booth, Clinical Director and Macmillan Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Associate Lecturer, University of Cambridge, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Palliative Care and Policy, King's College, London, UK

Anna Spathis qualified from Cambridge in 1992 and is currently a Consultant in Palliative Medicine, at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Dr Sara Booth has developed an innovative multiprofessional Breathlessness Intervention Service (BIS) from her research work in this area. It is based at Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and sees patients with any diagnosis at home or in hospital. She is also chair of the NCRI breathlessness research sub-group of the NCRI palliative care group. The research associated with BIS has been widely presented.

Helen E Davies qualified from St George's, University of London, and is a Specialist Registrar in Respiratory and General Medicine in Oxford. Her clinical and research interests include the management and palliation of symptoms in patients with malignant pleural disease.