Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/umls/id/C0001683
MSH: Declarations by patients, made in advance of a situation in which they may be incompetent to decide about their own care, stating their treatment preferences or authorizing a third party to make decisions for them. (Bioethics Thesaurus),MEDLINEPLUS: <p>What kind of medical care would you want if you were too ill or hurt to express your wishes? Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about <a href='http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endoflifeissues.html'>end-of-life</a> care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.</p><p>A living will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including</p><ul><li>The use of dialysis and breathing machines</li><li> If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops </li><li> Tube feeding</li><li> Organ or tissue donation </li></