PHOENIX: Mechanical ventilation rates increased by 100% in patients with advanced dementia, but these rates were not linked with significant improvement in survival, according to new findings.
Joan M. Teno, MD, MS, from the University of Washington, and colleagues reported that increased mechanical ventilation use was associated with an increased number of beds in intensive care units. Noting that dementia will lead to 1.6 million deaths by 2050, the researchers highlighted the importance in understanding lifesaving treatments vs. treatments that prolong suffering.