ABSTRACT
The controversial topic of dehydration and rehydration of palliative care patients is complicated and has many different aspects to consider. The divergence of opinion is well illustrated by the following quotes: “Research is limited but suggests that artišcial hydration in imminently dying patients in¬uences neither survival nor symptom control” (Soden et al. 2002) and “The best available evidence suggests that hydration of advanced cancer patients plays an important role in maintaining cognitive function and is therefore an important factor in the prevention and reversal of delirium in this population” (Lawlor 2002).
