What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the evidence evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used to treat noisy breathing (death rattle) in patients nearing death.

January 23, 2008Cochrane libraryOpen Access

Interventions for noisy breathing in patients near to death

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BWBee WeeSobell House RHR. HillierSt Bartholomew's Hospital

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Implication

Systematic review finds insufficient evidence that pharmacological or physical interventions reduce death rattle in dying patients, highlighting the need for rigorous randomized clinical trials.

Key Points

To assess the evidence evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used to treat noisy breathing (death rattle) in patients nearing death.
Systematic review searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane registers through 2007 for randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and interrupted time series.
Eligible studies evaluated pharmacological therapies (such as anticholinergics) or physical methods (such as airway suctioning and repositioning) in dying adults or children.
Out of 30 identified studies, only one small randomized placebo-controlled trial evaluating hyoscine hydrobromide met the inclusion criteria.
Hyoscine hydrobromide showed a non-significant trend toward reducing death rattle compared with placebo, leaving no clear evidence that any intervention is superior to placebo.

Cite This Study

Wee et al. (2008) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7f4f2cbafd867e199d2e9f https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd005177.pub2

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Implication

Systematic review finds insufficient evidence that pharmacological or physical interventions reduce death rattle in dying patients, highlighting the need for rigorous randomized clinical trials.

Interventions for noisy breathing in patients near to death

Discussion

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Interventions for noisy breathing in patients near to death

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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