Terminal illness

Terminal illness is medical terminology popularized in the 20th century for an active and malignant disease which cannot be cured and is expected to lead to death. Palliative care is often prescribed to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. A patient who has such an illness is referred to as a terminal patient or terminally ill.

Certain types of cancer, emphysema, liver failure, kidney failure, asbestosis, mesothelioma, some mental illness and heart disease may be considered fatal, although liver failure, kidney failure and even heart disease could possibly be cured with an organ transplant. AIDS could be considered a terminal illness, but most patients with AIDS succumb to other illnesses due to their deficient immune systems.