The three cardinal findings – coma, absence of brain reflects, and apnea is associated with brain death. The first sign of brain death is a deep coma. The patient is in a deep, irreversible coma and is unresponsive to all stimuli, including pain (Troug et al., 2020). The next sign is the absence of brainstem reflexes. In this case, the patient has no reflexes mediated by the brainstem, including the pupillary light reflex, corneal reflex, vestibular-ocular reflex, and gag reflex (Troug et al., 2020). The last stage is apnea, when the patient cannot breathe independently, which is tested by the apnea test. If the patient does not resume breathing within a specified time, typically 8-10 minutes, the apnea test is considered positive, and brain death is confirmed (Troug et al., 2020). These three cardinal findings are considered the main current criteria for brain death, including loss of consciousness. Hence, coma, unconsciousness, absence of brain reflexes, and inability to breathe are the main signs of brain death.
To decrease spinal cord injuries, people might take care of their safety while driving, doing sports, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and avoiding falls. Spinal cord injuries can occur to anyone, regardless of age or gender, but some groups are at higher risk than others. For instance, people who participate in physical activities, older people, and people who suffer from violence. There are a couple of methods to avoid spinal court injury. Firstly, maintain a healthy lifestyle, so bones and muscles will be more robust (Scovil et al., 2019). Secondly, wear appropriate safety gear while doing something at high risk of falling (Scovil et al., 2019). Thirdly, prevent falls by being attentive and careful. Lastly, immediately address any spine-related issues (Scovil et al., 2019). Thus, maintaining physical activity, avoiding falls, and being attentive and protective while doing something at high risk of falling will reduce spinal cord injuries.
References
Scovil, C. Y., et al. (2019). Implementation of pressure injury prevention best practices across 6 Canadian rehabilitation sites: results from the Spinal Cord Injury Knowledge Mobilization Network. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 100(2), 327-335. Web.
Truog, R. D., Krishnamurthy, K., & Tasker, R. C. (2020). Brain death—moving beyond consistency in the diagnostic criteria. Jama, 324(11), 1045-1047. Web.