Comparing The Cardiopulmonary And Total Brain Death Standards

Danesha Goble – Phi 380 – 29 September The Use of Both Standards Before taking this class I was oblivious to the apparently well-known fact that there are two standards of death. One standard is the cardiopulmonary standard, which is when the heart and lungs cease to function on their own. The second standard is the total brain death standard which is when there is complete and irreversible loss of brain function. There are people who stand in both corners of this argument but most, if not all, stand for only one standard. While the definitions of each standard seems to be clear cut, it is not, as there are some cases in which one standard will not suffice, which we will be discussing in a later paragraph. I will argue that both the†¦show more content†¦This standard only seemed important once the use of ventilators became popular in hospitals around the world. An argument made in favor of the total brain death is that people who have been determined ‘brain dead’ are great prospects for organ donatio n (Council, p. 8). As a way to support this argument it is said that because there is artificial respiration and circulation, the blood will continue to circulate throughout the body, which will in turn maintain the durability of the organs needed for surgical removal and therefore enhancing their use for their awaiting recipients (Council p. 8). There are also arguments that do not particularly agree with the total brain death standard and would assumingly prefer the cardiopulmonary standard of death. A downside pointed out by Robert D. Truog in the article â€Å"Is it Time to Abandon Brain Death?† is that as a hypothermic patient you are not able to be tested for brain death. According to Truog â€Å"the circularity of this reasoning can be clinically problematic, since hypothermic patients cannot be diagnosed as brain-dead but the absence of hypothermia is itself evidence of brain function† (Truog). While continuing to support his argument Truog mentions that  "clinicians have observed that patients who fulfill the tests for brain