Death

• Absence of vital functions.
• Death is diagnosed by permanant cessation of the heartbeat.
• Brain death is defined as permanent functional death death of the centres in the brainstem that control breathing, heart rate, and other vital reflexes ( including puppilary responses ).
• Ususally two independent medical opinions are required before brain death is agreed, but organs such as kidneys may then legally be removed for transplantation surgry before the heart has stopped.