Definition of dignified death

Worthy death is the right of any person, especially a terminal patient, to die with dignity without the need, if he did not want it, to be subjected to practices that invade his body.

Right of a terminal patient to decide to die in a dignified way, without being subjected to more invasive treatments and only receiving palliative care

The dignified death is the concept that allows to designate the The right of every patient who suffers from an irreversible and incurable disease and who is in a terminal state of health, to decide and express their desire to reject procedures, whether they are: invasive surgical, hydration, feeding and even resuscitation by artificial means, for being the same extraordinary and disproportionate in relation to the prospect of improvement and for causing the patient even more pain and suffering.

So, dignified death, also known as orthothanasia, gives a legal framework to the decision of patients or relatives to put an end to life when the state of health is presented as incurable, and the doctors are free to proceed according to this decision.

The terminally ill or patient is a term used in medicine to indicate that individual who suffers from a disease that cannot be cured and death is expected as an inevitable outcome in the short term term.

It is generally used in the case of patients suffering from diseases such as cancer, or quite advanced lung and heart conditions.

The terminal phase begins at the moment in which it is indicated to put aside curative treatments and put into practice those known as palliative, that is that is, those that are used to prevent the terminal patient from suffering severe pain and that he can reach his outcome in the most calm and dignified way possible.

These palliative treatments target physical pain and also the psychological symptoms that terminal illnesses usually generate.

When the life expectancy of a patient does not exceed six months, they are classified as terminal patients.

One of the most difficult moments for health professionals is communicating to their patient and their families the terminal situation of their condition, and that after the communication It usually goes through stages ranging from denial, anger, depression, and finally acceptance.

Difference from euthanasia

It should be noted that dignified death differs from euthanasia in that it in no way deliberately proposes the anticipation of the death of the patient in question as is the case with euthanasia.

In euthanasia, either the family, a health professional, among others, anticipates the death of the terminally ill with or without their prior consent because this he can no longer bear the sufferings that the condition causes him and to put an end to the artificial prolongation of his lifetime.

It can be carried out through the direct injection of drugs that induce death by the injecting overdose, or by abruptly stopping treatments or giving food.

There are several nations that have a legislation special for this type of situations framed within the dignified death, with the aim of regulating them and giving them a legal framework to avoid future legal claims or problems, such is the case of the Argentine Republic that a few years ago has approved by law the rejection of any treatment that artificially prolongs life.

In the Argentine case, both the patient and her family will be the ones who can give consent when the situation arises.

For euthanasia there is no legal framework and by case it is that if death is proven by this modality it could be classified as homicide, or help or instigation to suicide.

Among the arguments in favor of a dignified death, the following stand out: avoiding therapeutic cruelty, humanizing medicine, respecting the autonomy of the patient when it comes to his quality of life and avoid the prosecution of this type of case.

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