Granice intensywnej terapii i ich wyznaczniki

*Kazimierz Szewczyk

Summary
In recent years, there has been increasing debate on the role of intensive care. In medical practice the use of intensive care occupies a difficult place between decisions at the end of life, like alleviating pain, withholding treatment, and (in jurisdictions where this is allowed) euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.
In the paper, legal and practical aspects of euthanasia are discussed. Since euthanasia is not allowed in Poland, some limitations of intensive care should exist and patient´s wishes should be observed. Many physicians continue life-sustaining treatment despite patient or surrogate wishes that it be discontinued, and many unilaterally withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment that they judge to be futile. Critical care physicians should incorporate some concept of medical futility into decision making at the bedside.

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