Palliative sedation is defined as the deliberate “termination of awareness” for “relief of intractable pain when specific pain relieving protocols or interventions are ineffective” and/or “relief of intractable emotional or spiritual anguish (existential suffering, psychological distress, emotional exhaustion)”.
Palliative sedation is correct if:
1.- The aim is to aliviate sufferings.
2.- The administration of the treatment searching only the aleviation of suffering and not intentionally provoking death.
3.- There is no alternative treatment obtaining the same principal effects without the side effect that is shorting life.
4.- Implicit or delegate consent is only acceptable if the patient is not able to give it. One has the right to “attend” his death if possible.
