question: conscious?, unconscious? (1 Viewer)

[jazzmuzik]

This may not be in the right section but its "health" related...And i should know this but i'm confused...

what are the characteristics of a conscious/unconscious person?
eg. Breathing but no pulse?
Breathing with pulse?
No breathing no pulse?

what about someone in a coma state? they are unconcious but do they have a pulse? or breathing?

when are you dead!?

 

[jazzmuzik]

anyone?

 

[Serius]

breathing and heartbeat have little to do with wether you are concious or not.

Someone in a coma ofcourse has a pulse and is breathing.

Traditionally someone was defined as dead when their heart stops beating. Because if medical advances its not always the case, people have been revived up to 1/2 hour after their heart stopped beating on its own. I guess someone is dead when their is no elelectrical activity in their brain.

 

[Skeeta]

conciousness is about a state of mind.

You cant be conscious if you are brain dead, but you can be unconscious when you are breathing and have a pulse (ie. You passed out)

 

[CieL]

Traditionally someone was defined as dead when their heart stops beating. Because if medical advances its not always the case, people have been revived up to 1/2 hour after their heart stopped beating on its own. I guess someone is dead when their is no elelectrical activity in their brain.

Yep.. I was watching a human body dissection show and they said that before they can dissect a body, someone has to monitor brain activity, focusing on the base of the brain.. the bit which has that stem sticking downwards... because if they have brain activity, they might not be dead... just need a life support system to pump blood n oxygen around their body...