Clinical Death
Written by Rhiana Devadasan
19) Clinical death - signs and symptoms. Principles of management.
DEATH = the end of life.
Types of Death:
- Clinical Death: the cessation of cardiovascular & respiratory function (i.e. cardiopulmonary arrest)
- Biological Death (aka Brain Death): the cessation of cardiovascular, respiratory & brain function (occurs 4-6minutes after Clinical Death).
Brain injury is therefore the chief limiting factor for recovery from clinical death.
Signs & Symptoms
- Cardiac arrest syndrome
- a. occurs after sudden cessation of heart & loss of bioelectrical activity - ventricular asystole
- b. this may have occured due to stoppage of blood circulation in ventricular fibrillation
- Complete loss of consciousness occurs 10-15 seconds after cardiac arrest
- Muscle cramps possible within 15-20 seconds after losing consciousness
- Suddenly appearing cold perspirations
- Measurable brain activity stops within 20 to 40 seconds
- Absence of pulse pulse not probed on carotid arteries or femoral artery
- Atonal breath with convulsive breaths. After 2 minutes, this progresses into apnea (temporary cessation of breathing)
- Dilated pupils & loss of their reaction to light - a sign of impaired blood circulation of the brain occurs after 2 minutes from the moment of cardiac arrest)
- Pallor or cyanosis of the skin due to a sharp decrease in oxygen content of the blood
- Other preceding signs: epileptic seizure, severe chest pain, extreme abdominal pain, headache