Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease that can affect almost every organ in the body. Its complications can often be fatal. The fatal complications include lupus cerebritis, lupus nephritis, and cardiac manifestations such as pericardial effusion. In this report, we discuss the case of a 23-year-old female who presented with complaints of high-grade fever, seizures, and altered mental state (AMS) and was found to have generalized lymphadenopathy (LAP). Various blood and urine analyses and radiological findings (chest X-ray, MRI of the head) were suggestive of lupus nephritis, lupus cerebritis, massive pericardial effusion, and thrombocytopenia. Her anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody was positive, and her pericardial fluid was positive for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs). She was administered IV glucocorticoids and phenytoin. She reported improvements in her symptoms gradually for a few days but eventually succumbed to the disease. Although generalized LAP is a rare initial presentation of SLE, it should be included in the differential diagnosis of the disease.

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating condition associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Patients with end-stage HF (ESHF) who are not a candidate for advanced therapies will continue to progress despite standard medical therapy. Thus, the focus of care shifts from prolonging life to controlling symptoms and improving quality of life through palliative care ( PC). Because the condition and prognosis of HF patients evolve and can rapidly deteriorate, it is imperative to begin the discussion on end-of-life (EOL) issues early during HF management. These include the completion of an advance directive, do-not-resuscitate orders, and policies on device therapy and discontinuation as part of advance care planning (ACP). ESHF patients who do not have indications for advanced therapies or those who wish not to have a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplant (HT) often experience high symptom burden despite adequate medical management. The proper identification and assessment of symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, nausea, depression, and anxiety are essential to the management of ESHF and may be underdiagnosed and undertreated. Psychological support and spiritual care are also crucial to improving the quality of life during EOL. Caregivers of ESHF patients must also be provided supportive care to prevent compassion fatigue and improve resilience in patient care. In this narrative review, we compare the international guidelines and provide an overview of end-of-life and palliative care for patients with ESHF.

Millions of Americans use cannabis for medical purposes including but not limited to pain, nausea, mood changes and appetite stimulation. The use of cannabinoid in the palliative care setting is a relatively new trend. Given the fact that a patient receiving palliative care is not necessarily approaching death, the increasing need for palliative care as the American population ages, this literature review was compiled in order to examine the potential efficacy of cannabis in treating the mental health comorbidities of palliative care patients. We attempted to create the most comprehensive report on cannabinoid use in palliative psychiatry. It summarizes the most recently published science on cannabinoid use in palliative care patients and its impact on mood and anxiety symptoms. The mechanism of action of cannabinoids on their associated receptors was elucidated, as were the pharmacological roles that specific molecules in cannabinoids, like cannabidiolic acid and terpenes, play in cannabinoids’ overall efficacy. The legal impediments to widespread cannabis use were also explored. While the potential efficacy of cannabinoids has proven to be mixed, more research is necessary to ensure that a potentially vital resource in treating palliative care patients does not go underutilized.

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