how does the doctors know the time when a patient is going to die

Question: how does the doctors know the time when a patient is going to die
- Keywords:
  death,
  time
Asked by mace20fen to Arnold, Edna, Elkana, Gliday, Jacinta, Michael, Mike, Mmboyi, Sally on 22 Jul 2025.
- Jacinta Nzilani answered on 22 Jul 2025:
  
  Hey,
  👨‍⚕️ How Does a Doctor Know When a Patient Is Close to Death?
  
  Doctors can’t know the exact time a patient will die, but they use clinical signs, medical tests, and experience to estimate when a patient is in the final stages of life, especially in cases of terminal illness or critical care.
  
  🔍 Key Signs Doctors Look For:
  
  Vital Signs Decline
  
  Low blood pressure
  
  Slow or irregular heartbeat
  
  Low oxygen levels
  
  Changes in Breathing
  
  Irregular patterns like Cheyne-Stokes respiration (periods of no breathing followed by fast breathing)
  
  Organ Failure
  
  Lab results may show liver, kidney, or heart failure
  
  Neurological Changes
  
  Reduced consciousness or responsiveness
  
  Loss of brainstem reflexes (like pupils not reacting to light)
  
  End-of-Life Trajectories
  
  Based on disease (e.g., cancer vs. dementia), doctors follow patterns described in palliative care research (e.g., NEJM, BMJ, or WHO end-of-life guidelines)

Question: how does the doctors know the time when a patient is going to die