What does palliative care primarily aim to relieve in patients?

Palliative care primarily aims to relieve pain and distressing symptoms for patients facing serious illnesses. This type of care focuses on improving the quality of life for both the patient and their family by addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual discomfort. It is designed to alleviate suffering and provide support throughout the course of the illness, rather than focusing solely on curative measures.

While enhancing cardiac function, for example, may be essential in the context of heart failure, palliative care itself is not centered on improving specific physiological parameters like cardiac function. Emergency medical treatment is more concerned with immediate life-threatening situations, rather than ongoing symptom management. Finally, isolation from family is contrary to the goals of palliative care, which encourages family involvement and support during the treatment process.