Physiology of dying
It is essential to understand the Physiology of Dying if one is to plan and achieve a peaceful and reliable DIY death.
What makes a death ‘peaceful’, and what is meant by ‘reliable’?
A survey of elderly Exit International members identified reliability and peacefulness as the most important criteria.
Respondents stated that the ideal death would be one that occurs while the person is asleep.
The process should be fast, and there should be no discomfort or pain prior to loss of consciousness and death.
Unfortunately it is harder than it sounds to die peacefully and reliably.
For example, some actions might be peaceful but they are not reliable (eg. an overdose of Valium).
Or, the process might be reliable but not at all peaceful (eg. jumping from a tall building).
Achieving the desired mutual goals of peaceful and reliable (preferably within as short a time frame possible) is a more complex challenge.
In this Chapter we take a look at the physiology of death and how it influences reliability and peacefulness.
Essential Life Systems
The maintenance of human life requires a functioning brain. The cells in the brain require an uninterrupted supply of oxygen and glucose, which are their essential metabolic needs. Any significant interruption to the supply of oxygen or glucose will lead quickly to death.
The brain is 2% of the body’s weight. However, the brain cells consume more than 20% of the body’s total oxygen intake. Brain cells also require some 20% of the blood that is pumped by the heart and account for 60% of the body’s resting energy consumption.
To maintain brain function, a functioning respiratory and cardiac system is necessary. Respiration within the cells of the brain produces the essential energy which is needed for brain function.
Respiration also results in the production of CO2 and water which are removed via the blood supply.
Any interference with either the respiratory or cardiac systems quickly leads to death.
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