Ethical Dilemma in multiple co-morbid respiratory failure patient: Patient autonomy against family wishes?

Abstract

An 82 years old patient with background history of severe COPD, heart failure, multiple co-morbidities and poor quality of life was admitted with pneumonia and subsequently developed acute respiratory distress. There was an obvious conflict of opinion among her family members regarding decision making in her case. The patient time and again insisted against being resuscitated if she ever became seriously ill. However, she did not appoint a proxy decision maker or give an advance directive. This created an ethical dilemma, resulting a clash among the family members as well as her treating physicians concerning the withholding of active treatment and DNR orders in case of cardiorespiratory arrest. In the end the clinicians took lead and, with effective communication with the patient and the family members, made a final decision of withholding treatment in respect of the patient’s dignity and autonomy.