Life support Essay

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It is known that people who are kept artificially living undergo risks and discomfort. These patients, along with their family and their hospital, suffer the consequences of supporting artificial life. The continuing practice of keeping comatose individuals on life support should be eradicated because of the agony that is faced by the patients, families, and hospitals. Life support is a set of therapies for preserving a patient’s life when that patient’s necessary body systems are not properly functioning to maintain life unaided (Gunsch). Life support may begin with basic CPR. Subsequently, the most common technique to secure an airway is by the insertion of an endotracheal (ET) tube through the mouth or nose into the windpipe. If an ET airway cannot be established then a tracheotomy is performed, which is a surgical procedure in which a tube is inserted into the windpipe through an incision made in the base of the throat (Berniker). When the patient cannot breathe sufficiently on his or her own, the physician will use a ventilator, a machine that pumps air in and out of the patient’s lungs to aid in respiration. Circulation refers to the flow of blood around the body from the heart to vital organs. In order to ensure adequate circulation, the patient may require the use of one or more intravenous (IV) tubes (Berniker). Through the IVs the patient receives fluids, drugs, and blood transfusions as needed to support circulation. When vital organs fail, the body cannot regulate these components, and must be quickly restored to a normal state by a doctor. Preserving the body’s internal equilibrium requires careful monitoring of innumerable indicators of the patient’s well-being. This intensive monitoring usually takes place in an intensive care unit (ICU) or critical care unit (CCU) (Berniker). Various life support treatments include numerous techniques, varying from

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