Yugo Chisaki, Mika Oomoto, Yuika Sakurano, Takashi Imanishi
{"title":"Analysis of Barriers to Medical Opioid Pain Medication Using the Japanese Version of the Barriers Questionnaire II (JBQ-II): Pharmacists and Nurses Perspective in Japan.","authors":"Yugo Chisaki, Mika Oomoto, Yuika Sakurano, Takashi Imanishi","doi":"10.1177/10499091241252841","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241252841","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Some Japanese patients with cancer pain have negative beliefs regarding opioid therapy. The Japanese version of the Barriers Questionnaire II (JBQ-II) determines barriers to cancer pain management. Few studies reported JBQ-II scores in Japan, and none focused on pharmacists. Accordingly, we aimed to explore the relationship between health care professionals' knowledge of and willingness to use opioids, and their JBQ-II scores. Additionally, the variances in JBQ-II scores among nurses, hospital pharmacists, and pharmacy pharmacists were assessed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional survey employed the JBQ-II for nurses and pharmacists in hospitals and pharmacies across Japan. Participants were requested to respond to the JBQ-II concerning their affiliation, knowledge of opioid analgesics, and willingness to utilize these drugs for medical practice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 55 hospital pharmacists, 25 pharmacy pharmacists, and 24 nurses responded to the survey. The group-knowledgeable about medical use of narcotics had significantly lower total JBQ-II scores (25.43, standard deviation [SD]: 15.11) than those had by the group with insufficient knowledge (34.50, SD: 18.41). There was no statistically significant difference in total JBQ-II scores among those willing to use opioids medically. The total JBQ-II scores of hospital pharmacists, pharmacy pharmacists, and nurses were 31.00 (SD: 15.11), 33.96 (SD: 19.25), and 27.21 (SD: 15.56), respectively. However, the differences were not statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Health care professionals in Japan with knowledge about opioids for medical purposes had a significantly lower total JBQ-II score than those with insufficient knowledge. Thus, health care professionals' knowledge plays a crucial role in reducing barriers to using narcotic drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"287-295"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140900787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Disparities in Palliative Care Use for Patients With Blood Cancer Who Died in the Hospital.","authors":"Tien-Chan Hsieh, Yee Hui Yeo, Guangchen Zou, Chan Zhou, Arlene Ash","doi":"10.1177/10499091241254523","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241254523","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Palliative care can enhance quality of life during a terminal hospitalization. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment tools, blood cancers lag behind solid malignancies in palliative use. It is not clear what factors affect palliative care use in blood cancer. <b>Methods:</b> We used the 2016 to 2019 National Inpatient Sample to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with receiving palliative care among patients over age 18 with any malignant hematological diagnosis during a terminal hospitalization lasting at least 3 days, excluding those receiving a stem cell transplant. <b>Results:</b> Palliative care use was documented 54% of the time among 49,720 weighted cases (9944 distinct individual hospitalizations), approximately evenly distributed across the years 2016-2019. Palliative care use was lowest in 2016 (51%) and highest in 2018 (58%), and increased with age, reaching 58% for those 80 years and older. Men and women were similarly likely to receive care. Patients of Hispanic ethnicity and African Americans received less palliative care (47% and 49%, respectively), as did those insured by Medicaid (48%), and those admitted to small or rural hospitals (52% and 47%, respectively). Charges for hospitalizations with palliative care were 19% lower than for those without it. <b>Conclusions:</b> This study highlights disparities in palliative care use among blood-cancer patients who died in the hospital. It seems likely that many of the 46% who did not receive palliative care could have benefitted from it. Interventions are likely needed to achieve equitable access to ideal levels of palliative care services in late-stage blood cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"236-243"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141158328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sita de Vries, Laury Pijnappel, Sigrid Vervoort, Yvette van der Linden, Saskia Teunissen, Everlien de Graaf
{"title":"Attention to the Values, Wishes and Needs of Patients With Advanced Cancer by Hospital Clinicians, an Exploratory Qualitative Study.","authors":"Sita de Vries, Laury Pijnappel, Sigrid Vervoort, Yvette van der Linden, Saskia Teunissen, Everlien de Graaf","doi":"10.1177/10499091241261025","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241261025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Context:</b> Insight into patients' personal values, wishes, and needs (VWN) by clinicians is essential to guide appropriate palliative care. <b>Objective:</b> To gain insight into the exploration and monitoring of the VWN of patients with advanced cancer during the illness trajectory by hospital oncology clinicians. <b>Method:</b> A generic qualitative study was conducted from February 2022 to July 2022. Specialized nurses, nurse practitioners and medical specialists (in training) providing care to adult patients with advanced cancer were recruited at an outpatient clinic in a Dutch academic hospital. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and participatory observations of outpatient clinic consultations. Data were analyzed collaboratively by two researchers using thematic analysis. <b>Results:</b> Eleven clinicians, aged 33-64, 8 females, participated; 7 interviews and 13 observations were conducted. How clinicians explored and monitored patients' VWN was based on their opinions, originating from the clinicians' personal values and work experiences. These were influenced by the local collaboration. Three key opinions were identified: (1) providing safety, (2) supporting medical decision-making, and (3) ensuring alignment. Individual clinicians' approaches varied. The alignment of care and treatment with the patient's VWN was observed to be limited. <b>Conclusion:</b> Clinicians acknowledged the importance of exploring and monitoring patients' VWN but lacked a systematic approach in discussing these topics. Patients should be actively engaged in communication regarding their VWN rather than primarily being provided with medical information. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures may be beneficial in facilitating communication regarding the patient's VWN and could improve appropriate palliative care in hospital cancer care.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"300-308"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792391/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142127723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"End-of-Life Care of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.","authors":"Darlon Jan, Kye Y Kim","doi":"10.1177/10499091241253838","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241253838","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>End-of-life (EOL) care has been a common option for patients with terminal medical conditions such as cancers. However, the utilization of EOL care in Alzheimer disease and other dementing conditions have become available relatively recently. As the end-stage dementia approaches, the clinicians and caregivers become faced with numerous clinical challenges-delirium, neuropbehavioral symptoms, the patient's inability to communicate pain and associated discomfort, food refusal, and so on. In addition to providing quality clinical care to the EOL patients, clinicians should pay special attention to their families, assuring that their loved ones will receive supportive measures to improve quality of life (QOL).</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"309-313"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140878275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kwonoh Park, Jae-Joon Kim, Sang-Bo Oh, So Yeon Oh, Yun Jeong Hong, Seo-Jun Kim, Eun-Ju Park, Nayeon Choi, Seon-Hi Shin, Sungeun Kim, Heejung Ko
{"title":"A Phase II Study About Efficacy and Safety of the Continuous IntraVenous Infusion of Ketamine as Adjuvant to Opioids in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients With Refractory Cancer Pain (CIVIK Trial).","authors":"Kwonoh Park, Jae-Joon Kim, Sang-Bo Oh, So Yeon Oh, Yun Jeong Hong, Seo-Jun Kim, Eun-Ju Park, Nayeon Choi, Seon-Hi Shin, Sungeun Kim, Heejung Ko","doi":"10.1177/10499091241252977","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241252977","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ketamine has been used to control refractory cancer pain as an adjuvant to opioids. We conducted a prospective phase II study to investigate the efficacy and safety of 5-day continuous intravenous infusion (CIVI) of Ketamine in terminally ill cancer patients with refractory cancer pain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Hospitalized terminally ill cancer patients with refractory cancer pain were enrolled. Refractory cancer pain was indicated by requirements for 4 or more rescue opioids or pain intensity using numerical rating scale > personalized pain goal (PPG) despite of intravenous morphine equivalent daily dose (IV MEDD) ≥ 120 mg/day. The CIVI of ketamine was increased from .05 mg/kg/hour to .5 mg/kg/hour by .05 every 8 hours if pain intensity exceeded PPG or if number of rescue opioids ≥2 during prior 8 hours was required. The primary end-point was overall pain response rate, which indicates complete response (both rescue opioid ≤3/day and pain intensity ≤ PPG) plus partial response (rescue opioid ≤3/day), without unacceptable toxicities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 21 eligible patients enrolled between September 2019 and January 2023, 20 were analyzed. Most pain mechanisms were mixed type (n = 15, 75%), with neuropathic component (n = 17, 85%). The baseline background opioids were IV MEDD 186 mg/24hour (range, 124-592), number of rescue opioids was 6 (IQR, 5-9), and median PPG was 4 (IQR, 3-4). The overall pain response rate was 50% (n = 10) including 40% (n = 8) for complete pain response and 10% (n = 2) for partial pain response.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study showed efficacy of gradually increasing CIVI of ketamine for terminally ill cancer patients with refractory cancer pain. CIVI of ketamine could be a useful tool in these patients considering the limited treatment options. (NCT03362073, Initial Release: November 15, 2017).</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"244-252"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140946769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Retrospective Analysis of the Integration of Palliative Care Into the Care of Stroke Patients Admitted to a Regional Stroke Center.","authors":"Houman Khosravani, Meera Mahendiran, Brindan Sivanandan, Sandra Gardner, Gustavo Saposnik, Jahnel Brookes, Anna Berall, Giulia-Anna Perri","doi":"10.1177/10499091241253538","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241253538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Palliative care (PC) aims to enhance the quality of life for patients when confronted with serious illness. As stroke inflicts high morbidity and mortality, the integration of PC within acute stroke care remains an important aspect of quality inpatient care. However, there is a tendency to offer PC to stroke patients only when death appears imminent. We aim to understand why this may be by examining stroke patients admitted to a regional stroke centre who subsequently died and their provision of PC. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted a retrospective single-centre cohort study of patients who died during admission to the regional stroke centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Baseline demographics were assessed using means, standard deviations (SD), medians, interquartile ranges (IQR), and proportions. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to ascertain relationships between collected variables. <b>Results:</b> Univariate modeling demonstrated that older age, being female, no stroke diagnosis at admission to hospital, ischemic stroke, and comorbidities of cancer or dementia were associated with a higher incidence of palliative medicine consultation (PMC), while admission from an acute care hospital and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) coma classification were associated with a lower incidence of PMC. The multivariate model identified the GCS coma-related category as the only significant factor associated with a higher incidence of death but was non-significantly related to a lower incidence of PMC. <b>Conclusion:</b> These results highlight continued missed opportunities for PC in stroke patients and underscore the need to better optimize PMC.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"273-281"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792382/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140900789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gregg Robbins-Welty, Morgan Nakatani, Ye Kyung Song, Paul Riordan, Carl Pieper, Meghan Price, Connie Scoggins, Anthony Galanos
{"title":"Psychiatry Resident Physicians Experience Personal and Professional Grief, Burnout and Depression: Results From a National Survey.","authors":"Gregg Robbins-Welty, Morgan Nakatani, Ye Kyung Song, Paul Riordan, Carl Pieper, Meghan Price, Connie Scoggins, Anthony Galanos","doi":"10.1177/10499091241256106","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10499091241256106","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Resident physicians experience personal and professional stressors throughout training. These experiences may increase levels of burnout, depression, and grief. Understanding how these stressors impact trainees is essential for improving wellbeing during residency.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We examined the prevalence and associations between burnout, depression, and grief among a national sample of psychiatry resident physicians.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A survey including validated scales for burnout (Modified Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey [MBI]), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), and grief (Traumatic Grief Inventory Self Report [TGSIR]) was distributed to 296 psychiatry program directors in January 2023 for dispersal to their respective residents.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifty-seven participants completed the survey out of 245 participants who opened and started the survey (23.3%). All participants were current psychiatry residents. MBI scores averaged 21.2 (SD 6.5, range 11-40); 11 participants reported high levels of burnout (scores >27; 19.3%). PHQ-9 scores averaged 3.42 (SD 3.0, range 0-14), with 8 responses meeting the criteria for moderate depressive symptoms (scores >10-14; 14.0%). Suicidal ideation was reported by 5 of 57 participants (8.7%). TGISR scores averaged 12.2 (SD 11, range 0-43); no participants met the criteria for pathologic grief. TGISR scores were correlated with MBI (r = .30; <i>P</i> = .02) and PHQ-9 scores (r = .53; <i>P</i> < .0001). MBI scores were also correlated with PHQ-9 scores (r = .54; <i>P</i> < .0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Non-pathological grief was correlated with burnout and depression. 14% to 20% of psychiatry residents reported clinically significant levels of burnout and depression. Future studies should aim to further characterize burnout, depression, and grief in larger samples of trainees.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"296-299"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141072362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
James Gerhart, Michael Hoerger, Stacie Levine, Sean O'Mahony
{"title":"Increasing Awareness and Access to Integrated Behavioral Health and Palliative Care: An Introduction to the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine's.","authors":"James Gerhart, Michael Hoerger, Stacie Levine, Sean O'Mahony","doi":"10.1177/10499091251321086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091251321086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mental health symptoms are common in the general population and are overrepresented in patients receiving palliative care and hospice services. This introduction to the special issue on Mental Health in Palliative Care and Hospice highlights the ongoing need for research and training to prepare our palliative care workforce to address the concerns of patients experiencing serious illness and mental health concerns. Multilevel approaches are needed to enhance understanding of mental health needs among people with serious illness. Public health outreach is needed within our communities, targeted support is needed for family caregivers, and structured training for palliative care and hospice clinicians is needed to enhance competent mental health in these settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"10499091251321086"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Medications Not Dosed Within Recommended Range for Renal Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Identified upon Hospice Admission; a Retrospective Chart Review.","authors":"Natalie M Latuga, Kathryn Levy","doi":"10.1177/10499091251323284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091251323284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hospice-eligible patients are vulnerable to adverse medication effects given their advanced illnesses and general older age. It is not known how often medications are not renal dose adjusted in hospice-eligible patients and which are frequently problematic. This study aims to identify commonly prescribed medications with significant renal clearance that are dosed too high and patient characteristics that increase the likelihood of occurrence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a retrospective chart review of adult patients admitted to hospice care. Data collected included clinical/demographic data, renally cleared medications taken at time of hospice admission, and calculated renal function using several formulas. Descriptive statistics and binomial logistic regression were used to analyze data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 283 included charts, 27% had ≥1 medication dosed too high for renal function. The most common medications prescribed and not renal dose adjusted included tramadol, gabapentin, duloxetine, loratadine, cetirizine, famotidine, apixaban, rivaroxaban, metformin, trospium, and most antimicrobials. Increasing serum creatinine values and increasing number of renally cleared medications were associated with a higher likelihood of a medication dosed too high [OR, 1.702, 95% CI (1.257, 2.305), <i>P</i> < 0.001] and [OR, 1.856, 95% CI (1.517, 2.271), <i>P</i> < 0.001] respectively. Residing at home vs a facility was associated with a reduced likelihood of having a medication dosed too high [OR, 0.30, 95% CI (0.134, 0.673), <i>P</i> = 0.003.].</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Hospice-eligible patients frequently have renally cleared medications prescribed and at doses too high for their renal function. Analgesics, over-the-counter antihistamines, anticoagulants, anticholinergics have potential for significant adverse effects and higher vigilance is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"10499091251323284"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143485210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah Jacobs, Leah Herbst, Carlos Fernandez, Zankhana Y Mehta, Amanda Young, Mellar P Davis
{"title":"Inpatient Use of Valproic Acid in Agitated Delirium by Palliative Medicine.","authors":"Sarah Jacobs, Leah Herbst, Carlos Fernandez, Zankhana Y Mehta, Amanda Young, Mellar P Davis","doi":"10.1177/10499091251321084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091251321084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Antipsychotics and benzodiazepines are prescribed for hyperactive delirium despite their side effects and lack of supportive evidence. Valproic Acid (VPA) improves agitation without QTc prolongation, excessive sedation, and parkinsonism. However, high quality evidence for this is lacking in delirium. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective study involved hospitalized patients seen by Palliative medicine from 10/1/2019 to 4/17/2020 who received VPA for at least 24 hours for hyperactive delirium. Patients were excluded if VPA was used for seizures or bipolar disorder. We hypothesized that VPA improves agitation and thus reduces the use of opioids, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. <b>Results:</b> Twenty patients, 50% women, and a median age of 81.5 years were treated. Nine had cancer, five dementia and two had strokes. The median daily VPA dose was 831.6 mg (IQR 671.4 -1016.4). Due to the small numbers, we did not find a statistically significant differences in benzodiazepine, opioid, or antipsychotic use on days 1, 2, or 3. VPA was used as monotherapy in 10 patients, with no additional antipsychotic or benzodiazepines needed. Eleven patients were on comfort care measures at the time of VPA initiation. Ten died in the hospital. Three were discharged home, and seven transferred to a skilled nursing facility. <b>Discussion:</b> This study explored the use of VPA in palliative care. VPA may be effective in treating aggitation. Randomized controlled trials are needed to validate VPA benefits in treating agitated delirium.</p>","PeriodicalId":94222,"journal":{"name":"The American journal of hospice & palliative care","volume":" ","pages":"10499091251321084"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143434816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}