Unrelieved pain is the greatest fear among patients with a life-limiting disease. Physicians should consider the legal ramifications of inadequate pain management and understand the liability risks associated with both inadequate treatment and treatment in excess. As the fifth vital sign, pain should be assessed as frequently as the other vital signs and the findings should be well documented, for easy reference by all members of the healthcare team. This review discusses the etiology of pain at the end of life and issues in effective pain management; assessment of pain accurately through use of clinical tools and other strategies, including the use of an interpreter; and select appropriate pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic therapies to manage pain in patients during the end-of-life period.Read More