Hospital healthcare staff have had to rapidly develop expertise in managing Covid-19 symptoms common at end of life, such as breathlessness and agitation. This UK study aimed to establish whether prescribing for symptom control in patients dying with Covid-19 adhered to existing local guidance. A retrospective review of the patient records of 61 patients referred to specialist palliative care were included. Intubated patients were excluded. Findings showed 83% of patients were prescribed with opioids at a starting dose consistent with local guidelines. The paper concluded that while some patients may require increased doses, routine prescription of higher starting opioid and benzodiazepine doses beyond local guidelines was not observed
Jackson, T. et al. 2020. End of life care in Covid-19 - an audit of pharmacological management in hospital patients. Palliative Medicine, 34 (9) p 1235-1240.