Medicine:Dysthanasia

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Short description: Medical term concerning life support


In medicine, dysthanasia means "bad death" (from the Greek language: δυσ, dus; "bad, difficult" + θάνατος, thanatos; "death")[1] and is considered a common fault of modern medicine.[2] Dysthanasia occurs when a person who is dying has their biological life extended through technological means without regard to the person's quality of life.[3] Technologies such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator,[4] artificial ventilation, ventricular assist devices, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can extend the dying process. In some cases, cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be considered a form of dysthanasia.[5][6]

See also

  • Brain death
  • Death with Dignity National Center
  • Euthanasia
  • Life support
  • Palliative care

References

  1. Kothari, M; Mehta, L; Kothari, V (2000). "Cause of death--so-called designed event acclimaxing timed happenings". Journal of Postgraduate Medicine 46 (1): 43–51. PMID 10855082. http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022-3859;year=2000;volume=46;issue=1;spage=43;epage=51;aulast=Kothari. 
  2. Batchelor, A; Jenal, L; Kapadia, F; Streat, S et al. (2003). "Ethics roundtable debate: Should a sedated dying patient be wakened to say goodbye to family?". Critical Care 7 (5): 335–8. doi:10.1186/cc2329. PMID 12974961. 
  3. de Menezes, MB; Selli, L; de Souza, AJ (August 2009). "Dysthanasia: Nursing professionals' perception". Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem 17 (4): 443–8. doi:10.1590/S0104-11692009000400002. PMID 19820848. 
  4. Kaufman, SR; Mueller, PS; Ottenberg, AL; Koenig, BA (2011). "Ironic technology: Old age and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator in US health care". Social Science & Medicine 72 (1): 6–14. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.09.052. PMID 21126815. 
  5. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Ethics of resuscitation and end of life decisions
  6. Clark, J. D.; Dudzinski, D. M. (2013). "The culture of dysthanasia: Attempting CPR in terminally ill children". Pediatrics 131 (3): 572–580. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0393. PMID 23382437. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23382437/. 

Further reading