Ordinary and Extraordinary Means and the Respect to the Decision by a Patient

Overview

Traditional distinction between ordinary and extraordinary means is presented. It is provedthat this distinction was connected with the assessment of a patient: with his quality-of-lifejudgement (including the quality-of-life after treatment), with his assessment of the benefitsand burdens of treatments and with his attitudes to the life when dying. Today we speak ratherof medical treatments that are proportionate or disproportionate. Nevertheless the thinkingwhich was connected with the distinction between ordinary and extraordinary means may helpus in our hard clinical decision making and may stress the respect to the patient™s perceptionof his or her own life.

Key words:
ordinary means - extraordinary means - paternalism.