Knowing when to stop: futility in the ICU
Current Opinion in AnaesthesiologyPublished 4 February 2011
Dominic Wilkinson, Julian Savulescu
Citations189
SJR quartileQ2
SJR score0.70
SNIP1.00
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TL;DR
This review will summarize recent literature around futility judgements in intensive care emphasising ethical and practical questions and suggest the justification for a futility judgement may be relevant to deciding the most appropriate way to resolve futility disputes.
Abstract
Specific criteria for unilateral withdrawal of treatment have proved hard to define or defend. However, it is ethical for doctors to decline to provide treatment that is medically inappropriate or futile. Understanding the justification for a futility judgement may be relevant to deciding the most appropriate way to resolve futility disputes.
Keywords
MedicineHealth Professions
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