Brain Death

Criteria used to diagnose brain death.

New brain death guidelines were published in the June 8 issue of Neurology to provide doctors with step-by-step instructions to guide clinical decision making. This is the first update in fifteen years.

"...the American Academy of Neurology has issued an updated guideline that provides doctors with a step-by-step process for determining brain death in adults.""

Getting down to the reality of whether or not someone is brain dead is the least we should do for patients. Do unto others, right?

Although no one ever declared brain-dead according to the previous standards has ever regained function, physicians felt that clarification of the guidelines needed to occur. There should be no guess work involved in something so grave.

Contrary to common belief that eugenics is history, this paper illuminates the devastating effects of abuse against humanity into the present. Namely, brain death and its implications are reviewed through the lenses of medicine, law, and religion.

Brain death is possible if a person with emphysema doesn't receive help soon enough.

Praying fans hope for a miracle recovery by Natasha Richardson. If she was indeed declared brain dead yesterday, she has been legally and medically dead since the declaration of brain death, with no chance that her brain function will return.

Whether you are an Active American who has overcome a near death experience or are dealing with a loved one who is in a coma or experiencing brain death, you should become educated on the issues surrounding these end-of-life states.