Death rattle
Death rattle
Death rattle (pronunciation: /dɛθ rætəl/) is a term used in medicine to describe the sound produced by a dying individual when air passes through the mucus collected in the throat or bronchial tubes.
Etymology
The term "death rattle" originates from the Old English words "deeth" and "rættel", which mean "end of life" and "sound", respectively. The term was first used in the 18th century to describe the specific sound heard in individuals nearing death.
Definition
The death rattle is a distinctive sound that can be heard in the final stages of life when a person is unable to swallow or clear secretions from the throat or chest. This can occur due to a variety of reasons, including a decreased level of consciousness, weakness, or the effects of certain medications.
Related Terms
- Agonal respiration: This is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by gasping, labored breathing, accompanied by strange vocalizations and myoclonus.
- Cheyne-Stokes respiration: This is a specific form of periodic breathing (waxing and waning amplitude of flow or volume) characterized by a gradual increase in volume and frequency, followed by a decrease resulting in apnea, before resumption of breathing.
- Terminal illness: This is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time.
Management
The management of a death rattle is primarily focused on providing comfort to the individual. This can be achieved through the use of medications to reduce the production of secretions, changing the person's position to help drain secretions, and providing reassurance and support to the individual and their family.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Death rattle
- Wikipedia's article - Death rattle
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