What is the Difference Between Death Rattle and Agonal Breathing?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Death rattle and agonal breathing are two distinct phenomena related to breathing issues at the end of life. Here are the key differences between them:
Death Rattle:
- Caused by saliva or mucus collecting in the throat or chest, leading to a gurgling noise.
- Occurs when a person is only hours or days away from death.
- Related to relaxation of throat muscles and vibration of soft tissues in the back of the mouth.
Agonal Breathing:
- An abnormal and often brief, inadequate pattern of breathing.
- Can be a sign of imminent death or occur weeks before death.
- Usually a symptom of a severe medical emergency, such as stroke or cardiac arrest.
- Can sound like gasping, snorting, labored breathing, or even moaning.
In summary, death rattle is characterized by a gurgling noise due to the accumulation of saliva or mucus in the throat or chest, whereas agonal breathing is an abnormal pattern of breathing that may signal a serious medical emergency or imminent death.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Death Rattle and Agonal Breathing? Comparative Table: Death Rattle vs Agonal Breathing
Comparative Table: Death Rattle vs Agonal Breathing
Here is a table comparing the differences between death rattle and agonal breathing:
Feature | Death Rattle | Agonal Breathing |
---|---|---|
Description | A sign of a patient transitioning to the final stage of the dying process. | An inadequate pattern of breathing caused by the heart no longer circulating blood effectively. |
Cause | Caused by mucus and saliva build-up in the throat. | Reflexive and involuntary, controlled by the dying brain. |
Sound | Gurgling or wet sounds, mainly heard from the oral cavity. | Gasping or labored breathing, often accompanied by grunting or groaning sounds on exhalation. |
Timing | Occurs in the final stage of the death process. | Can occur in the final stage of the death process or in a person who is not terminally ill. |
Associated | Typically experienced by someone who is in the last stages of life or has a prolonged, terminal illness. | Often happens out of the blue, brought on by a sudden health event. |
Both death rattle and agonal breathing are signs that a person is approaching the end of their life, but they have distinct differences in their causes, sounds, and timing.
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- Breath vs Breathe
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- Dyspnea vs Shortness of Breath
- Apnea vs Hypopnea
- Life vs Death
- Vesicular vs Bronchial Breathing
- Stridor vs Wheezing
- Somatic Death vs Molecular Death
- Ventilation vs Respiration
- Rapid Sequence Intubation vs Normal Intubation
- Inhalation vs Exhalation
- Atelectasis vs Pneumonia
- Cutaneous vs Pulmonary Respiration
- Hyperventilation vs Tachypnea
- Rigor Mortis vs Cadaveric Spasm
- Breathing vs Cellular Respiration