DrVirgo
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42. A 50-year-old woman with a history of hypertension suddenly develops a severe headache and collapses while shopping. She is intubated and mechanical ventilation is started because of irregular respirations. A CT scan of the head shows a massive intracerebral hemorrhage with blood extending into the ventricles and subarachnoid space. The following morning she is unresponsive to all stimuli. Her pupils are fixed and dilated, oculocephalic reflexes are absent, and she has no spontaneous respirations. An EEG confirms electrocerebral inactivity. Which of the following best describes her level of neurologic functioning?
A) Brain death
B) Cataplexy
C) Limbic encephalopathy
D) Persistent vegetative state
A or D? not sure. 
Explanation anyone?
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| robin082006
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Brain death
Just guess that because EEG inactivity.
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| robin082006
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Here is what I searched about Persistent Vegetative State
This is a condition in which the individual has lost cognitive neurological function and awareness of the environment but does have noncognitive function and a preserved sleep-wake cycle. Spontaneous movements may occur and the eyes may open in response to external stimuli, but the patient does not speak or obey commands. Patients in a vegetative state may appear somewhat normal and may occasionally grimace, cry, or laugh.
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| robin082006
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Here vis about Brain death
Brain death is defined as a complete and irreversible cessation of brain activity. Absence of apparent brain function is not enough. Evidence of irreversibility is also required. Brain-death is often confused with the state of vegetation.
Traditionally, death has been defined as the cessation of all body functions, including respiration and heartbeat. Since it became possible to revive some people after a period without respiration, heartbeat, or other visible signs of life, as well as to maintain respiration and blood flow artificially using life support treatments, an alternative definition for death was needed. In recent decades, the concept of "brain death" has emerged. By brain-death criteria, a person can be pronounced legally dead even if the heart continues to beat due to life support measures. The first nation in the world to adopt the brain death as the definition of legal death was Finland in 1971. In the United States, Kansas had made a similar law at an even earlier date. (Randell T. (2004) Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 48(2): 139–44.)
A brain-dead individual has no electrical activity and no clinical evidence of brain function on neurologic examination (no response to pain, no cranial nerve reflexes (pupillary response (fixed pupils), oculocephalic reflex, corneal reflexes), and no spontaneous respirations). It is important to distinguish between brain death and states that mimic brain death (eg. barbiturate intoxication, alcohol intoxication, sedative overdose, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, coma or chronic vegetative states). Some comatose patients can recover, and some patients with severe irreversible neurologic dysfunction will nonetheless retain some lower brain functions such as spontaneous respiration, loss of both cortex and brainstem function. Thus anencephaly, in which there is no higher brain present, is generally not considered brain death, although it is certainly an irreversible condition in which it may be appropriate to withdraw life support.
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| DrVirgo
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Ok A. Brain death due to:oculocephalic reflexes are absent, and she has no spontaneous respirations. An EEG confirms electrocerebral inactivity.
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