These are the organs of the body that die the earliest when life ends

Illustration of a man in a hospital (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - The human body has several major organs that work together so that we can stay alive. When someone dies, one organ will stop first, then the other organs will follow. This process does not happen at once, but gradually.

The first organ that usually stops working when a person dies is the heart. When the heart stops beating, blood flow to the entire body stops. As a result, a person will stop breathing.

Within minutes, the brain also no longer functions because it does not get an oxygen supply, and body temperature begins to decrease. Medical personnel explain that the brain can still show activity for several minutes after life support is removed. However, without blood flow and oxygen, brain function will completely stop.

Reported from the Science Times website, in addition to the heart and brain, other important organs such as the liver and kidneys will also stop working. When these main organs no longer function, the body systems that depend on them also stop. In the end, all the functions that support life can no longer run.

Death is actually a process, not an event that happens in one second. If understood as a series of events, we can better understand the changes experienced by the body from living conditions to death.

From the first breath to the end of life, the body continues to carry out various important functions so that we can stay alive. When one of the three vital organs, namely the heart, brain, or lungs loses its function and cannot beat, other organs will also stop.

For example, in a condition called ventricular fibrillation (VF), the heart beats irregularly so that it is unable to pump blood well. Blood circulation also stops, causing a person to quickly lose consciousness and stop breathing. In cases like this, cardiac arrest occurs first and causes the cessation of other organ functions.

Sudden cardiac arrest without treatment can cause death in just a few minutes. However, in chronic or long-term diseases, the process leading to death can last longer, even weeks or months.

Four Signs of Natural Death

A hospice nurse named Julie shares four signs that are usually seen when someone dies naturally. These signs are common and are part of the body's natural process.

1. Changes in Breathing Patterns

When a person enters the phase leading up to death, which can happen a few hours or days before, the breathing pattern will change. Breathing can become slower, irregular, or interspersed with long pauses.

2. Skin Color Change

Skin color, especially on the ends of the body such as hands and feet, can turn purple. This condition is known as mottling. This is a common thing that happens before death and not a sign of a new problem.

3. Death Rattle (Sound from the Respiratory Tract)

People who are breathing often can no longer swallow, cough, or clear mucus and saliva in the throat. As a result, sounds such as snoring, moaning, or crackling sounds are heard when breathing.

4. Body Temperature Changes

Core body temperature can vary. Fever often appears because the body loses the ability to regulate temperature normally.