55PowerPointPresentation.pdf
BIOETHICAL ISSUES TOWARD THE END OF HUMAN LIFE
• TRILLIONS OF CELLS
• VITAL ORGANS
• MAJOR CAUSES OF DEATH
• DISTINCTION BETWEEN ASSISTING OR SUBSTITUTING VITAL ORGANS
REVIEW:
BIOLOGICAL UNIT OF LIFE = CELL
LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (HIERARCHY OF LIFE):
CELLS -> TISSUES -> ORGANS -> SYSTEMS (ORGAN SYSTEMS) -> ORGANISM(INDIVIDUAL)
• VITAL ORGANS
VITAL ORGANS:
• BRAIN
• BRAIN STEM
• BOTH LUNGS
• HEART
• LIVER
• PANCREAS
• STOMACH
• SMALL INTESTINE
• LARGE INTESTINE
• BOTH KIDNEYS
• MAJOR CAUSES OF DEATH
% Primary Organ
1. Diseases of the heart 28.5 HEART
2. Malignant tumors 22.8 ANY VITAL ORGAN
3. Cerebrovascular diseases 6.7 BRAIN
4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5.1 LUNGS
5. Accidents (unintentional injuries) 4.4 ANY VITAL ORGAN
6. Diabetes mellitus (Type II Diabetes) 3 PANCREAS
7. Influenza and pneumonia 2.7 LUNGS
8. Alzheimer’s disease 2.4 BRAIN
9. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis 1.7 KIDNEYS
10. Septicemia (blood poisoning) 1.4 BLOOD
11. Suicide 1.3 ANY VITAL ORGAN
12. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 1.1 LIVER
13. Primary hypertension and hypertensive renal disease 0.8 ANY VITAL ORGAN
14. Parkinson’s disease (tied) 0.7 BRAIN
15. Homicide (tied) 0.7 ANY VITAL ORGAN
All others 16.7 ANY VITAL ORGAN
100
(Source: CDC/NHS National Vital Statistics System)
15 Major Causes of Death (USA)
• DISTINCTION BETWEEN ASSISTING OR SUBSTITUTING VITAL ORGANS
DIALYSIS: SUBSTITUTES KIDNEYS
RESPIRATOR; ASSISTS IN PROVIDING OXYGEN
VENTILATOR; DEPENDS ON THE SETTINGS: ASSIST OR SUBSTITUTE BREATHING
RESPIRATORS: ASSIST BREATHING
(NOT VENTILATOR)
VENTILATOR: PERFUSION
WEANING PROCESS
VENT ~ 2-3 WEEKS BEFORE TRACHEOTOMY
EXTUBATION
TRACHEOTOMY
(TRACHEOSTOMY)
CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR):
• ASSISTS / SUBSTITUTES HEART
Defibrillation
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD)
• treatment for cardiac dysrhythmias
• Ex. ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT)
• delivers a dose of electric current to the heart
• VITAL ORGANS
• DISTINCTION BETWEEN ASSISTING OR SUBSTITUTING VITAL ORGANS
• ASSISTING VITAL ORGANS GENERALLY OBLIGATES BIOETHICALLY
• SUBSTITUTING VITAL ORGANS GENERALLY DOES NOT OBLIGATE
