This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Bromberg, M. B. Articles by McDonald, E. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bromberg, M. B. Articles by McDonald, E. R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Ventilator Dependency in ALS: Management, Disease Progression, and Issues of Coping

Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Dallas A. Forshew, RN, BSN

Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Sandra Iaderosa, MSW

Department of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Evelyn R. McDonald, RN,, MS

Department of Research and Education, The New Road Map Foundation, Seattle, Washington

The natural progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) leads to respiratory fail ure and death. Artificial ventilation can prolong the course, leading to extreme degrees of weakness and dependence. Little specific information is available to counsel ALS patients about making the decision for artificial ventilation. In order to gain more infor mation, we visited four ventilator-dependent ALS patients and their primary caregivers. We determined the neurologic state and level of function of the patients and inter viewed their primary caregivers to assess medical care and management needs (both social and financial) and how they were being met. We also administrated question naires to assess the psychological well-being of both patient and primary caregiver and how the relationship between the patient and primary caregiver changed under these circumstances. Key Words: ALS—Artificial ventilation—Disease progression.

Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, Vol. 10, No. 3, 195-199 (1996)
DOI: 10.1177/154596839601000306


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?