Pharmacological Management of Anxiety in End‐of‐Life Care: A Systematic Review of Benzodiazepines, Opioids, and Psilocybin
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental January 1, 2026 Brunno Freitas Da Costa, Paula Hartmann, Daniel Pagnin
Anxiety is common and harmful for people receiving end-of-life care, but treating it with drugs is difficult. A systematic review of five studies found that both benzodiazepine-opioid combinations and psilocybin reduced anxiety symptoms. Psilocybin provided rapid and lasting relief, with about 60% to 80% of participants showing meaningful improvement. Both types of treatment were well tolerated and caused no serious side effects. However, the evidence is limited by small studies and narrow contexts, highlighting a need for more robust clinical trials.