Opioid dose no higher than necessary for symptom control, with or without low-dose benzodiazepines | Stable dose over final 3 d | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 11 |
Gradual increase in opioids over final 3 d | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 13 |
Strong increase in opioids on final day | 2 | | 3 | | 5 |
Opioid doses or sedatives not normally used as part of mainstream palliative care | Opioid doses exceeding symptom requirements, but either stable or gradually increasing, with or without low-dose benzodiazepines | | | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Opioid doses exceeding symptom requirements and strongly rising on last day, with or without low-dose benzodiazepines | 3 | 2 | 6 | | 11 |
Strong sedatives (barbiturates, propofol or high-dose benzodiazepines) | 3 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 20 |
Unspecified doses of opioids, benzodiazepines or both | | | 1 | 1 | | 2 |
Total | | 10 | 13 | 37 | 6 | 66 |