Dysphagia: Implications on Medication Administration in Serious Illness

Dysphagia is common at end of life. New onset difficulty swallowing often presents an opportunity to reevaluate medication risks vs. benefits and medical necessity. Often, formulations and routes of administration must be rotated to maintain patient comfort and quality of life. This presentation will briefly discuss illness trajectories and medication evaluation. Additionally, alternate routes of administration and commonly used symptom management medications will be reviewed.

Objectives
1. Review dysphagia and its impact on medication administration
2. Discuss dysphagia as a part of prognostication and as an opportunity for evaluating mediation appropriateness
3. Highlight non-oral routes of administration and commonly continued medications in the final days and weeks of life

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