Introduction
Death is the end of life after cessation of respiratory, cardiac and brain function. This topic covers the types and stages of death and the early and late signs of biological death.
Causes and types of death
Death can be due to natural causes, disease or violence. Death from natural causes is rare, as it results from physiological ageing and wearing out of the tissues. The most common type is death caused by disease: structural changes occur in the organs in the course of the disease and lead to eventual failure of function.
According to the period of development, death is:
- Sudden - results from acute and severe damage of organs of vital importance (myocardial infarction, brain hemorrhage, rupture of an aortic aneurysm).
- Agonal - occurs over a longer period (from minutes to several hours).
Stages of death: clinical and biological
- Clinical death - a reversible state (within a few minutes): breathing and cardiac function stop. With adequate resuscitation, basic vital functions can be restored.
- Biological death - irreversible cessation of respiration, cardiac and brain activity; it follows clinical death. Its signs are early and late.