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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Giving Morphine To A Weak Pneumonia Aged Person Advisable?

my grandpa is in the hospital. He has pneumonia and is very weak. He eats very little if at all. my aunt just said they are transitioning him from actively treating him to providing comfort care and they are starting morphine. What does all that mean? Are they pretty much just putting him to sleep? I ve heard in the past that morphine given to old and weak people makes their organs shut down.
Fri, 6 Jun 2014
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Anesthesiologist,  's  Response
I'd be happy to help you witgh your question. First of all let me offer my sympathy over the sickness of your grandfather.

Second, pneumonia can be very serious, especially in the elderly and weak. Since he is being transferred to "comfort care", it sounds as though he may have exhausted medical management and does not not want to be treated aggressively or be intubated.

While morphine and other medications we give in comfort care can slow breathing when given in excess, this is not the goal. The goal of the medicaitons given in comfort care is to make the patient as comfortable as possible and not over treat them.

It sounds as though you should talk with your family/aunt about your grandfather's wishes, and how they intend to follow them. If he would not want to be hospitalized and intubated, this is likely the best thing for him.
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Can Giving Morphine To A Weak Pneumonia Aged Person Advisable?

I d be happy to help you witgh your question. First of all let me offer my sympathy over the sickness of your grandfather. Second, pneumonia can be very serious, especially in the elderly and weak. Since he is being transferred to comfort care , it sounds as though he may have exhausted medical management and does not not want to be treated aggressively or be intubated. While morphine and other medications we give in comfort care can slow breathing when given in excess, this is not the goal. The goal of the medicaitons given in comfort care is to make the patient as comfortable as possible and not over treat them. It sounds as though you should talk with your family/aunt about your grandfather s wishes, and how they intend to follow them. If he would not want to be hospitalized and intubated, this is likely the best thing for him.