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. 2010 Apr 9;10:186. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-186

Table 3.

Life-ending drug use without patient's explicit request: performance of the practice (n = 13)

n
Patient was competent at time of drug administration 0

Drugs used to end life Opioids only 7
Opioids in combination with a benzodiazepine 5
Barbiturate 1

In case opioids were used to end life (n = 12) Use of opioids already administered previous to 9
life-ending practice to alleviate pain or other symptoms

Time between administration of (first) life-ending drug and coma Patient was already in a coma at time of administration 6
Patient never lapsed into a complete coma 1
(awoke now and then)
15 minutes 1
2 hours 1
8 hours 1
1 day 1
2 days 2

Time between administration of (first) life-ending drug and death instantly 1
20 minutes 1
90 minutes 2
3 hours 1
4 hours 1
12 hours 1
13 hours 1
1-2 days 3
2-3 days 2

Persons involved in administration Person who administered the (last) life-ending drug GP 7
Nurse 6

GP's presence during the administration of life-ending drugs until the time of death Continuously 2
With short interruptions 3
Not present, but on call 6
Not present 2

Other persons present during the administration of life-ending drug Professional caregivers & patient's relatives 2
Professional caregivers only 3
Patient's relatives only 7
No other persons present 1

GP's estimation of life-shortening effect of administration of life-ending drugs < 1 day 2
1-7 days 8
1-4 weeks 2
> 6 months 1