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End-of-Life Practices in European Intensive Care Units
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To the Editor: In their study of end-of-life practices in European intensive care units (ICUs), Dr Sprung and colleagues1 describe a shortening of the dying process as a result of the administration of opiates and benzodiazepines. The authors stated that the majority of cases of shortening of the dying process can be equated with euthanasia, because physicians generally intended these actions to cause death.
In the Netherlands the term "euthanasia" is restricted to the intention and action of the physician to cause death on the voluntary and well-considered request of a patient. In most cases the basis of the patient's request is unbearable suffering and deterioration. The actual death of the patient is effected by the administration of specific drugs, which are collectively referred to as "euthanatica." A combination of thiopental natrium and pancuroriumbromide is often used with the intention is to cause death. By contrast, morphine and benzodiazepines such . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Erwin J. O. Kompanje, PhD, CCRN
Department of Neurosurgery
Erasmus Medical Center
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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