[The end of dialysis: the weariness to carry on].
Giorgio E MaccaferriEleni BanavaLauren DucClaudia GamondiYosra Fekih GhorbelAlina R SolomonPublished in: Revue medicale suisse (2024)
Voluntary cessation of hemodialysis is a common cause of death in dialysis patients, often occurring related to an alteration in their quality of life. At the same time, psychiatric disorders such as depression or anxiety are common and often underestimated among these patients, that accentuate the suffering and complicate compliance with dialysis. In this paper some psychopathological conditions will be addressed, as well as the question of the patient's ambivalence towards dialysis and the clinical and ethical dilemma of caregivers: respect the patient's choice to stop treatment or keep them alive at all costs? A multidisciplinary approach, including palliative care, is essential to support the reflection and make balanced decisions while respecting patient autonomy.