It can be impressive for loved ones but the person is asleep and they do not suffer.
The end of life is inevitable. Hez the elderly, it often occurs following a chronic pathology or a progressive weakening due to advanced aging. This terminal phase is the subject of particular attention. Many elderly patients end their lives in the hospital, in palliative care unit, where they benefit from global management, focused on comfort, dignity and support for the end of life. Many caregivers observe recurring and sometimes unknown bodily phenomena. Dr. Paulien Moyaert, nuclear doctor and dementia researcher is interested in it closely.
According to her, there is “A sign that a person is approaching the end of their life” precisely in “The last 23 hours”. This one occurs “Because consciousness decreases. Patients then lose their ability to swallow and eliminate oral secretions”she explains in a video published on her You Tube channel. “The air circulates on these accumulated secretions, which causes noisy breathing” she continues. “It is not painful for the patient because he does not answer and is deeply asleep at this stage.”
This symptom associated with noisy breathing is called “agony”. “With each breathing, the person can emit a groan, a snoring or a clumsy noise”explains the specialist. These noises can be impressive, giving the impression that the patient “Druns or chokes”. But there is no pain. It’s a bit like the lungs try to breathe through a layer of saliva.
At that time, “Medicines are given to dry out the airways and reduce the groan “ Details Dr Moyaert. It is not to relieve the patient but rather to preserve his dignity and protect relatives. “”It is also possible to position the patient so that it is turned to the side with the slightly raised head. This makes secretions less likely to stay at the bottom of the throat “concludes the doctor.
