Terminal Lucidity in Terminal Illness

Abstract

Terminal patients may include those who have been bedridden for an extended period, have a poor prognosis, or suffer from chronic illnesses that render them incapable of self-care. They often receive close palliative care from relatives or caregivers. When patients are in the final stages of life, caregivers may report that the patient’s condition has improved, they woke up and talked, their memory has returned, they walked, sat on the bed, ate food, sang, and laughed. This is a desirable for relatives and caregivers. Although terminal lucidity occurs in only a small number of cases and is not universal among all terminal patients. However, if these symptoms occur in terminally ill patients and unexpectedly arise. This may refer to the terminal lucidity, which occurs due to physiological stress response or tissue hypoxia. Resulting in increased neurotransmitter release in the brain or alterations in brainwave activity. As a result, the patient becomes alert, memory recall, and increased perception. This phenomenon is typically observed during a brief period. Subsequently, the patient's condition deteriorates and eventually leads to death, causing family members to face grief and loss. However, there is limited academic discussion on this phenomenon. To enable relatives, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to understand the scientific information about terminal lucidity, accurately assess its symptoms, and effectively prepare families for the impending loss of their loved ones. Therefore, this article is a narrative review that aims to describe the characteristics of terminally ill patients, the symptoms of terminal lucidity, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, cope with grief and loss of relatives when patients are in the state of terminal lucidity, and the role of nurses in providing care for end-of-life patients and their families.