Strictly speaking a do not resuscitate order (DNR) is a request not to have CPR if your heart stops or if you stop breathing. A DNR can be part of an advance directive. One's wishes regarding things like ventilation and feeding tubes can also be added to an advance directive. They are not specifically part of DNR.

Is a feeding tube considered life saving measures?

While a patient recovers from an illness, getting nutrition temporarily through a feeding tube can be helpful. But, at the end of life, a feeding tube might cause more discomfort than not eating. For people with dementia, tube feeding does not prolong life or prevent aspiration.

What does a DNR include?

A do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR order, is a medical order written by a doctor. It instructs health care providers not to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a patient's breathing stops or if the patient's heart stops beating.