Palliative care in pulmonary infectious diseases

Chronic consuming infectious diseases of the respiratory organs or chronic infectious complications of pre-existing lung diseases often mean a high, long-term symptom burden for the affected patients. Nevertheless, the concepts and involvement of palliative care have so far not found any structured access to care for these patients. Using tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis, and non-specific clinical pictures as an example, this overview shows where palliative care can and should contribute to the treatment concept to the benefit of the patient. As an acute infection, pneumonia is a common cause of death in patients with chronic, progressive underlying diseases and should give the physician a reason to address the therapeutic goal – possibly with the involvement of palliative care expertise. The corona pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for palliative care in infectiology. © 2020 Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle