Nutrition at the End of Life: Basic Care or Treatment?

Abstract

The end of life involves consideration of a series of interventions, including nutrition and hydration, which can be considered as either basic care or treatment and which influence the approach to clinical care that can be offered. Although scientific literature is not clear as to this potential duality, it is necessary to take into account all concerns, advantages and disadvantages so that health care professionals can build into their clinical practice a professional criterion that allows consideration of access or limitation to nutrition and hydration based on physiological criteria.