Palliative care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, atypical parkinsonian syndromes, and multiple sclerosis are progressive neurologic disorders that cumulatively afflict a large number of people. Effective end-of-life palliative care depends upon an understanding of the clinical aspects of each of these disorders. Objectives: The authors review the unique and overlapping aspects of each of these disorders with an emphasis upon the clinical management of symptoms. Design: The authors review current management and the supporting literature. Conclusions: Clinicians have many effective therapeutic options to choose from when managing the symptoms produced by these disorders.