2. Death

Death is defned as

the irreversible loss of the vital functions of the body due to the irreversible stoppage of the vital organs.

The vital functions are:

1.Innervation. 2.Circtlation. 3.Respiration

The vital organs are :

The brain(stem)

 The heart.

 The ltngs.

This is the irreversible failure of the whole body as integrated parts.

Clinical death

Molecular(cellular) life is used in

Organ transplantation

What happens first, molecular(cellular) death or clinical death?

Molecular (cellular) death

Duties of doctors during time of death:

1. Confirmation of death

2. Raise suspicion if death is unnatural

3. Issue death certificate(if in position to)

4. Convey dying declaration(if any)

Dying declaration meaning

the last statement that said by the person in the last moments of his or her life and has a relation to the cause or circtmstances of his or her death.

How is confirmation of death done?

By examining the 3 vital systems.

Time scale of sudden death

>24 hrs

Brain Stem death

is the irreversible loss of brain stem functions due to the permanent brain stem damage.

BRAIN STEM FUNCTIONS ARE:

1. initiation + maintenance of respiratory

2. initiation + maintenance of circulation

3. Vasomotor tone

Conditions of brain stem death:

1.The patient should be deeply comatose.

2.The cause of this coma should be known.

3.Patient should be on ventilator.

4.Brain stem death should be diagnosed by two expert doctors and every doctor should examine the patient twice .

SUSPENDED ANIMATION:

This is the temporary functional suspension of the brain stem due to an overwhelming insult to the brain such as hypothermia .

LOCKED-IN SYNDROME:

This is the paralysis of the whole mtscles of the body except the mtscles of the eyes

Locked in syndrome usually happens due to

ventral Pons lesion

Withholding vs.withdrawing treatment:

There is no legal or necessarily moral distinction between the two.

Doctrine of double effect:

The doctrine of double effect holds that an action with both good and harmful effects can be morally permissible if the harm is unintended and certain ethical conditions are met.