Authors

Vania Yáñez Fernández

Position

Máster en Atención Sanitaria, Gestión y Cuidados. Residente de Enfermería Familiar y Comunitaria. Gerencia de Gestión Integrada de A Coruña. Centro de Salud Elviña-Mesoiro. A Coruña.

Contact address

Vania Yáñez Fernández. C/ Ourense, 226, 5º C. 27400 Monforte de Lemos (Lugo).

Contact email: vyanfer@gmail.com

Abstract

The population ageing, the increase of chronic-degenerative diseases, together with a higher life expectancy, have led to an increasing number of patients who require palliative care. The administration way of choice to treat symptoms in these patients will be oral, but certain circumstances may render this impossible, making it necessary to resort to other ways. The subcutaneous way represents an alternative option in these situations, as it is a simple, safe, and easy to use technique.
The objective of this paper is to contribute towards the good use of this technique and, therefore, to a better control of symptoms, describing the techniques, the advantages and disadvantages of its use in Palliative Care, indications and contraindications, potential complications, insertion sites and technique, subsequent care, as well as the most widely used types of administration and drugs.

Keywords:

Subcutaneous injections; subcutaneous infusionspalliative care

Versión en Español

Título:

Manejo de la vía subcutánea en cuidados paliativos