Practical and ethical aspects of antibiotic treatment in palliative care-literature review

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed medications, both in palliative care and in all other healthcare settings. The decision on whether to initiate antibiotic therapy requires careful consideration of benefit to the patient and its effect on the wider population, such as the development of antibiotic resistant pathogens and the cost of treatment. A vicious circle has been observed: length of stay, increased rate of infection, use of antibiotics, infection with resistant microorganisms, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, increased length of stay, and increased cost of treatment. Further research is necessary to help determine which patients will benefit most from antibiotic therapy during end-of-life care.