Anticipatory prescribing in palliative care

Anticipatory prescribing ( AP ) is the prescribing of injectable medications in advance of clinical need, for visiting nurses or doctors to give as required if symptoms arise in the final days of life ( BMJ 2021 )

Research has shown that up to 90 % of people with life threatening illness would like to die at home or in a home like environment The number of people dying outside the hospital environment ( for e.g care homes , homes ) has risen sharply across the globe in recent yrs This practice of anticipatory prescribing ( AP ) is quite common in the UK ,New Zealand and Australia and less commonly in the USA , Singapore and Norway Timely access to medications is critical as symptoms in people with advance illness can change rapidly due to sudden deterioration , exacerbations of existing symptoms , poor absorption or the fact that oral administration of drugs is no longer possible Delay in waiting to see an OOH doctor- then to arrange medications via a chemist can be distressing for both the patients and the family Anticipatory prescribing tries to address the major symptom complex that patients may face entering the terminal phase...