What distinguishes ordinary from extraordinary means in end-of-life care?

• A. Ordinary means are curative treatments
• B. Extraordinary means are always beneficial
• C. Ordinary means are proportionate, reasonable treatments; extraordinary means are disproportionate burdens or non-beneficial interventions
• D. Ordinary means are not limited by patient wishes

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is proportionality in end-of-life care: treatments should align with the patient’s goals and balance benefits against burdens. Ordinary means are actions that offer a reasonable chance of benefit and do not impose excessive burdens; they’re considered appropriate to pursue. Extraordinary means, on the other hand, are interventions that are burdensome, invasive, or unlikely to provide meaningful benefit given the situation, and they may be declined or withdrawn in line with the patient’s wishes and overall care goals.

This explains why the best choice says ordinary means are proportionate, reasonable treatments, while extraordinary means are disproportionate burdens or non-beneficial interventions. The other options miss this balance: ordinary means are not limited to curative efforts, and extraordinary means aren’t guaranteed to be beneficial. Patient wishes also guide what should be pursued, so the statement that ordinary means aren’t limited by patient wishes isn’t accurate.