Asphyxia is a term whose origin is from Greek and referred to the failure to have a pulse. It is a condition preceded by inadequate uptake of oxygen by the body cells around the brain thus leading to too much retention of carbon dioxide which can cause death. The nerve cells in the brain can only run for four minutes without oxygen. However, if at this time there is no uptake of oxygen, these cells will die and results in unconsciousness, and the greatest consequence, death. A number of factors cause asphyxia, and this forms the basis for its response. Reasons of the complication are also used as the foundation of the complication’s categorization. As mentioned earlier, Asphyxia is due to physically blocking the airway to the brain cells. …show more content…
Environmental suffocation is where one suffocates due to inadequate oxygen in the atmosphere. Such deaths are usually accidental when the oxygen levels in the environment at 16% or below. Smothering, on the other hand, is a cause of suffocation where the external respiratory orifices are closed using the hand or other means. These orifices include the nose and mouth whose blockage is facilitated by putting foreign materials such as paper, cereals in the nose and cloth. Accidental smothering is common among infants during their first days of life. Notably, when premature infants are smothered by the weight of the beddings which cover their nose and mouth, they may suffer accidental smothering (Schmeling, Fracasso, Pragst, Tsokos, & Wirth, 2009). Besides, another good cases example is when an infant during the first three months or fewer slips with its face pressed against the mattress thus the mouth or nostrils are closed or obstruction augments where saliva and edema fluids flow to the mouth resulting in obstruction of breathing (Schmeling, et.al. 2009).
Strangulation is also another form of asphyxia where there is a forced injury of the neck’s tissues. Autopsy examinations have shown that the techniques of strangulation had not changed greatly over the recent decades. In fact, strangulation can be easily noticed unlike other causes of asphyxia
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The most lethal asphyxiants that cause asphyxia are Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Cyanide, and Hydrogen Sulfide. They alter the utilization and transportation of oxygen to the brain cells (Borron, & Bebarta, 2015). The chemical process that leads to this complication is the combination of these chemicals with the mitochondrial cytochrome thus causing oxidation. According to Borron, & Bebarta, (2015), respiration at the cellular level is interrupted by the oxidation process while the carbon monoxide mixes with hemoglobin thus blocking the delivery of oxygen to the brain cells and tissues. The chemicals are recognized to be volatile and in the case of high concentrations, they may cause the victim to feel weak, lose consciousness, and experience seizures and tachypnea. If victims are removed from the chemicals immediately, recovery is possible. Between 10- 20 minutes after the victim has suffered from the inhalation of the chemical asphyxiants, specific antidotes such as sodium thiosulfate and nitrates can be
In the year 2010, the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead was released. In the film, Australian native Joe Cross has realized that his health is worsening very fast. So Cross finally decides that he will turn his life around by taking an extreme diet that will deprive him of macronutrients for 60 days. Macronutrients are nutrients found in foods other than fruits and vegetables. Micronutrients are those nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Micronutrients provide minerals such as Vitamin A, Iodine, Iron, Folate, and Zinc. While the body does not need these in large amounts, they are essential to the body because they help develop disease prevention and promote well-being. Micronutrients are important to include
In a nicotine overdose nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness, weakness, coma, convulsions and respiratory and cardiac arrest can occur8
Carbon monoxide is a major component in smoke from fires. It can cause a loss of mental acuity, acute nausea and severe headaches (Reinhardt 33). Death can occur at extreme levels of this intoxication and it can even cause shortness of breath and dizziness (Reinhardt 35). It may not seem like it is that bad, but one must consider that these things add up and can really affect their health and well-being. The carbon monoxide levels tend to shoot up when the wind speed goes up during daily exposure (U.S. Department of Agriculture 3). It also depends on what kind of duties you have as a firefighter; because those with the highest level of carbon monoxide in their system were a part of the direct attack and those with the least were the fire starters (U.S. Department of Agriculture 3). Carbon monoxide is a powerful poison that can kill you and it is absolut...
Many questions about the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as “crib death,” are still unresolved. The mysterious and elusive nature of SIDS creates problems, doubts, and more questions. This paper will present some of the most commonly asked questions as well as the answers that have been uncovered by scientists after years of research and study.
“There are certain symptoms you would need to seek emergency medical attention right away for, for example repeated vomiting, loss of consciousness lasting for more than 30 seconds, slurred speech or changes in speech, and changes in physical coordination such as stumbling or falling.” (Mayo Clinic, n.d.)
Epilepsy, also known as “seizure disorder,” or “seizure attack,” is the fourth most common neurological disorder known to mankind, affecting an estimated 2.3 million adults and 467,711 children in the United States. Unfortunately this disorder is becoming far more common and widespread worldwide. This staggering number of cases of people suffering from Epilepsy also involves an average growth rate of 150,000 new cases each year in the United States alone. Generally, many of the people who develop who are a part of the new are mainly either young children or older adults. Your brain communicates through chemical and electrical signals that are all specialized for specific tasks. However, through the process of communication, chemical messengers, also known as neurotransmitters can suddenly fail, resulting in what is known as a seizure attack. Epilepsy occurs when a few too many brain cells become excited, or activated simultaneously, so that the brain cannot function properly and to it’s highest potential. Epilepsy is characterized when there is an abnormal imbalance in the chemical activity of the brain, leading to a disruption in the electrical activity of the brain. This disruption specifically occurs in the central nervous system (CNS), which is the part of the nervous system that contains the brain and spinal cord. This causes an interruption in communication between presynaptic neurons and postsynaptic neurons; between the axon of one neuron, the message sender and the dendrite of another neuron, the message recipient. Consequently, the effects that epileptic seizures may induce may range anywhere from mild to severe, life-threatening ramifications and complications. There are many different types of seizures associa...
Starvation, suffocation with a plastic bag, carbon monoxide and lethal doses of drugs are some way to die practiced by euthanasia. In definition, euthanasia is the option that some people choose to end his/her life when living becomes too unbearable for them. Tough Euthanasia is mostly asked by the person who wants to die; there are some cases where the person does not is even conscious of his/her death, such cases are typically seen with persons in the vegetative state. Some people do not agree with the practice of involuntary Euthanasia; they argue against this process labeling it as a crime. While opponents may think this is an action against the law because it takes away the life of someone without his/her consent, other people opt to consider
The criteria or definition of brain death was re-examined in 1968 by a committee at Harvard Medical School and is part of the criteria used today. They defined it as when a patient; is unresponsive to stimulus; cannot move or breathe without the aid of a ventilator and has no brain stem reflexes. Several tests are done in order to determine if a patient meets these criteria and this can be done by physicians and neurologists. A brain dead patient is legally dead and a death cer...
Modern philosophy stipulates that the will to preserve one’s life as long as possible is a fundamental aspect of basic logic and reason. The will to survive as long as possible is described as an innate and natural instinct of being human. Based on this philosophical reasoning, it is inherently illogical and irrational to willingly put an end to one’s life. Sociologists, psychologists and psychiatrists have also condemned suicide by stating that it is associated with mental, social and physical ill-being and that those who commit suicide are not in a rational state of mind. These scientific and philosophical approaches to suicide have contributed to formally documenting suicide as a wrong, irrational and immoral act. The problem is that these approaches see suicide in a generalized manner and do not take into account sub-types and different kinds of suicide such as euthanasia for example, which is physician-assisted and intentional suicide in the case of a terminally ill patient with no possibility of recovering from his or her medical condition. Technological developments in medicin...
Alveolar hyperventilation causes a decreased partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2). The decrease in PaCO2 increases the ratio of bicarbonate concentration to PaCO2 which increases the pH level. The decrease in PaCO2 develops when a strong respiratory stimulus causes the respiratory system to remove more carbon dioxide than is produced. Respiratory alkalosis can be acute or chronic. Acute respiratory alkalosis is when the PaCO2 level is below the lower limit of normal and the serum pH is alkalemic. Chronic respiratory alkalosis is when the PaCO2 level is below the lower limit of normal, but the pH level is relatively normal or near normal. Respiratory alkalosis is the most common acid-base abnormality observed in patients who are critically ill. It is associated with numerous illnesses and is a common finding in patients on mechanical ventilation. Many cardiac and pulmonary disorders can occur with respiratory alkalosis. When respiratory alkalosis is present, the cause may be a minor or non–life-threatening disorder. However, more serious disease processes should also be considered in the differential diagnosis (Byrd, 2017). Hyperventilation is most likely the underlying cause of respiratory alkalosis. Hyperventilation is also known as over breathing (O’Connell, 2017).
The subject of death and dying can cause many controversies for health care providers. Not only can it cause legal issues for them, but it also brings about many ethical issues as well. Nearly every health care professional has experienced a situation dealing with death or dying. This tends to be a tough topic for many people, so health care professionals should take caution when handling these matters. Healthcare professionals not only deal with patient issues but also those of the family. Some of the controversies of death and dying many include; stages of death and dying, quality of life issues, use of medications and advanced directives.
5: to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease; especially: to fall helpless or unconscious
Suicide is a preventable, yet a very serious public health problem. In 2009, more deaths resulted from suicide than from car accidents in the United States. Citation here! In the past, suicide prevention has been more geared towards youths and adolescents. However, recent research has shown an increase in suicide of middle-aged adults and this increase places suicide at the fourth leading cause of death among this age group. Citation here Little is known about midlife suicides, so with that in mind, direct practice workers need an understanding in how to address the needs and concerns of the middle-age group, so that suicide can be prevented.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, suicide is the action of killing oneself intentionally. Causes of suicide can be out of despair. This can be a consequence of several stress factors such as financial difficulties, personal troubles...etc. Work suicide can be caused by the recession; this destroys a very large number of jobs, especially in the telecoms companies because they have a technological revolution. It can also be caused by bad working conditions and frequent unannounced changes in the work environment. Companies need to improve their productivity, which means that employees have to work harder and longer, this can also lead to being “stressed out”.
According to the Pittsburg Protocol, death is currently defined as the irreversible cessation of neurological or cardiopulmonary function.1 More specifically, brain death is defined as the irreversible cessation of the entire brain (including the brain stem), and cardiac death is defined as irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions.1 Even though the definitions seem clearly defined, issues have developed in regards to the amount of time allotted before declaration of death after cardiac arrest and regarding the possibility of resuscitation.