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A Rat Model of Ventricular Fibrillation and Resuscitation by Conventional Closed-chest Technique
Published on: April 26, 2015
Suicide attempts and resuscitation dilemmas
H Karlinsky1, G Taerk, K Schwartz
1Department of Psychiatry, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
General Hospital Psychiatry
|November 1, 1988
Summary
Rational decisions for suicide or refusing treatment may arise from autonomous individuals, challenging conventional psychiatric views. This explores complex ethical and legal dilemmas in end-of-life care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Psychiatry
- Bioethics
Background:
- Advancing medical technology raises complex questions regarding life prolongation and treatment discontinuation.
- The principle of patient autonomy can conflict with physician responsibility in medical decision-making.
Observation:
- Two cases of attempted suicide are presented: one in the context of terminal illness, the other related to advanced age.
- These cases highlight dilemmas at the intersection of patient autonomy and medical ethics.
Findings:
- Conventional psychiatric perspectives may not fully encompass suicides or treatment refusals stemming from rational, autonomous decisions.
- Ethical and legal considerations surrounding patient autonomy in end-of-life decisions are complex.
Implications:
- Re-evaluating the psychiatric understanding of suicide and treatment refusal in autonomous individuals is necessary.
- Further discussion is needed on balancing patient autonomy with physician responsibility in complex medical scenarios.
Keywords:
Death and Euthanasia
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