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How do they proceed with people in coma?

(3 posts)

  1. capucine
    Member

    until when do they leave them on the machines, when do they stop the machines?
    yes.it's my mum..:-((

    Posted 2 years ago #

  2. Holly W
    Member

    I am assuming someone you love and care is in a coma and is on a life supporting system. They can hear you. It is the strongest sense.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  3. Honoria
    Member

    If the person is not brain dead, then there is activity there and the person can probably hear and understand you, but is not able to react. If the person is brain dead, he has no brain activity and is for all intents and purposes, dead.

    However, some people claim that if a person only has cerebellar activity (keeps you breathing), he/she is technically dead, or is a "vegetable" or in a persistive vegetative state.

    Coma patients are not dead. They are merely unable to communicate in a way that is 'normal.' The brain will keep a coma patient alive after respirators are turned off. The only way to kill a coma patient is to starve him to death or to keep water from him until he dies. (or she)

    Pulling the plug (turning off a respirator) on a brain dead person will cause death within minutes. The brain does not function to keep the person breathing and the person will die.

    It's a fine line either way. I figure that if turning off the respirator brings death, so be it. If turning it off doesn't bring death, then the right thing to do is keep feeding the person. You never know if they'll come out of it. Starving to death isn't a pleasant way to die.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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