Ascites The accumulation of liquid in the abdomen occurs in 15 percent to 50 percent of terminal cancer patients and in virtually all patients who die of liver failure. Ascites cause a feeling of bloating, as well as discomfort from the stretching. Confusion Confusion is a mental state in which patients react inappropriately to their environment because they are disoriented or bewildered. Confusion may be caused by decreasing mental capacity or by medications and may render patients unable to care for themselves. They may mistake their own abilities and overexert themselves or lose their balance.
Confusion also complicates communication between patient and family or caregivers.
Dementia A common cognitive complication in the older elderly and in younger patients with such diseases as AIDS and stroke, dementia may begin with subtle symptoms, such as apathy, social withdrawal, and difficulty in concentrating. If progressive, dementia moves through deterioration in verbal and motor responses to a complete inability of patients to move about or care for themselves. Anxiety Anxiety is a biological and emotional reaction to stressful situations, including diagnosis of an incurable illness and the approach of death. If the sense of dread, danger, or tension is severe, it may interfere with the ability to eat or sleep and may be associated with shortness of breath, nausea, diarrhea, or increased heart rate. Although emotions such as sadness are common with the approach of death, clinical depression is a more serious condition.