Rc. Christensen et S. Vanmccrary, TREATMENT REFUSAL BY AN ELDERLY MAN SUFFERING INTENSELY FROM TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION, Psychiatric services, 46(2), 1995, pp. 181-183
The authors consider the ethical issues involved in a case in which an
elderly man suffering from recurrent, treatment-resistant depression
expressed a wish to forgo life-sustaining treatment should it become n
ecessary. The patient had no immediate life-threatening medical condit
ions belt was in danger of becoming malnourished and dehydrated. The a
uthors conclude that unrelieved suffering resulting from depression, w
hen combined with repeated treatment failures, may justify refusal of
life-sustaining treatment in very rare cases.