Withdrawing Very Low-Burden Interventions in Chronically ill Patients

This article addresses the distinctive ethical issues that arise when the physician considers withdrawing low-burden clinical management from chronically – but not critically – ill patients. It is suggested that an ethically & clinically meaningful distinction can be made between withholding & withdrawing low-burden interventions. The case of an 85-year-old male who had had a pacemaker implanted several years previously & who now suffered from severe dementia is used as illustration.