Life Support

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer explains that life support is the methodology in which modern technology implements machines in order to sustain life in critical situations. The writer notes that modern technology has offered more and more advanced tools of life support. The writer points out however, that there are several key issues which prove that life support is not always one-hundred percent beneficial, and these have raised some serious ethical questions. The writer discusses that the various ethical concerns over life support sometimes fail to compete with the medical benefits of the technical advances which allow doctors to sustain life in order to find a way to restore that life to its former vigor. The writer maintains that despite it proving inefficient for some areas of the population, life support does prove beneficial in the resuscitation of many individuals.

From the Paper:

"Yet, there have been recent efforts to pre-discuss such threatening situations in the case of patients who have recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Recent studies have shown that the nature of the illness and or trauma can lead great insight into the benefits or cons of life support within individual cases. If an individual patient has more than one medical issue which would prove threatening to sustaining life in the event life support is needed, data shows that chances of recovery are lower than individuals who are only suffering from one medical condition or trauma. Therefore the nature and number of medical conditions should prove influential in each individual's decision to choose life support or not in the event that he or she would need it."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Medical Association. (2007). CSAPH: Report 1 of the Council on Scientific Affairs. (1-03). AMA.com. 24 May. 2008. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13567.html
• General Council of the Assemblies of God. (2008). Euthanasia, and extraordinary support to sustain life. 24 May. 2008. http://www.ag.org/top/beliefs/contempissues_18_euthanasia.cfm
• Katz-Wise, Sabra, L. (2006). Should I receive CPR and medical ventiliation? Quest diagnostics. 24 May. 2008. http://questdiagnostics.com/kbase/dp/topic/tu2951/dp.htm
• Medicine Net. (2008). Life support. Medterms online medical dictionary a-z list. 24 May. 2008. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=38577

More papers on Life Support:

• Research Paper # 132143 : "Life Support Withdrawal"
• Research Proposal # 102269 : "Life Support Withdrawal: Family Decisions"
• Term Paper # 134228 : "Withdrawal of Life Support"
• Research Paper # 104816 : "Family Experience and Withdrawal of Life Support"

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