How is time to death calculated in terminally I’ll patients?
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Not very universal but when it comes to liver disease, doctors are able to use what’s called a MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease). It basically measures the probability of your mortality in the next 3 months based off your liver labs, clotting factors, and electrolytes. Not all diseases have this scale but liver disease is fairly common and someone was smart enough to build a mortality calculator.
Edit: I’ve had family members ask me (RN) how long their family member has left while on comfort care. We honestly have no clue because many patients can survive for a very long time despite a poor prognosis. I’ve seen a patient with clotted heart arteries survive for days longer than I’ve expected them too.
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