- Major changes in respiratory health, buildup of fluid in the lungs, congestion, longer periods of apnea, and abnormal breathing patterns such as cycles of slow then fast breathing.
- Subject states that he or she is going to die soon.
- Difficulties swallowing liquids or the resistance of all food and drink.
- Marked changes in personality, acting wildly, severe agitation or hallucinations.
- Increased difficulty waking subject from sleeping, the inability to arouse them at all, or a coma-like state.
- Subject is unresponsive or cannot speak.
- Subject does not move for long periods of time.
- The extremities -- hands, feet, arms and legs -- feel very cold to touch. Subject may say that they are numb or cannot feel at all.
- Mottling of the arms, legs, hands and feet -- giving a blue or purple splotchy appearance to the skin.
- Decrease in urination with urine darkening in color or changing colors.
- Urinary or bowel incontinence.
- A continued drop in blood pressure to 20 to 30 points below normal range or a systolic pressure below 70 with a diastolic below 50 points.
- Loss of hearing, feeling, smell, taste or sight at the final stage.
Are You Afraid of Dying? Do You Need Comfort After the Loss of a Loved One? Find insight and peace about the mysterious process of transitioning to the Other Side.
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
How can you tell if death is about to occur for a critically ill patient? According to About.com there are common signs that may indicate that death is actively approaching. These include:
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