The role of primary health care in palliative care: a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31243/mdc.uta.v9i3.2887.2025Keywords:
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Prion proteins, Palliative care, Primary careAbstract
Introduction: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal isoform of the prion protein. Its rapid progression and high mortality profoundly impact on the quality of life of patients and their families, necessitating an integrated palliative approach. Objective: To describe the role of primary health care in providing palliative care to a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, highlighting its importance in comprehensive management, family support, and improving quality of life in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Case presentation: A 66-year-old woman with eight months of progressive asthenia, memory loss, severe cognitive impairment with disorientation, apraxia, and total dependence in basic activities. The patient received home palliative care by the primary care team until her death. Discussion: The poor prognosis and lack of curative treatment for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease require a palliative approach from primary health care for continuous support for the patient and their family until the end of life. Conclusion: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, although rare, requires a comprehensive approach that provides continuous support for the patient and their family, from diagnosis to bereavement support. Its rapid progression underscores the importance of early detection, interdisciplinary management, and timely implementation of palliative care, given the lack of curative treatment
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Irving Israel Buitrón Nieto, Alexandro Vinicio Cruz Mariño, Raúl Ruiz de Zarate Del Cueto, Andrea Valeria Araujo Lascano, Jacqueline Elizabeth Cevallos Salazar Jacqueline Elizabeth Cevallos Salazar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
