flatliners
No vital signs
Flatliners are people whose heart has stopped, producing the flat line on a cardiac monitor that indicates no electrical activity.
The term gained currency from the 1990 film about medical students who deliberately induce death to explore the afterlife.
Outside medical contexts, a flatliner is someone or something showing no activity or response: The stock's been a flatliner all year.
Abrupt cessation of circulation
- resuscitationRestoring vital functions
- CPREmergency revival technique
- defibrillatorHeart-shocking medical device
- clinical deathHeartbeat and breathing absent
revival · out-of-body · tunnel · white light · consciousness · brain activity · oxygen deprivation · minutes
- 1990Final decade's start
- medical studentsPhysicians in training
- near-deathAlmost dying
- revivalReturn after decline
Julia Roberts · Kevin Bacon · defibrillator · experiment · visions · guilt · haunting · redemption
Vision when almost dying
- visionsImagined or prophetic sights
- heavenSky or bliss
- hellUnderworld of suffering
- purgatoryPlace of temporary suffering
soul · judgment · spirits · haunting · redemption · consequences · supernatural · limbo
Cardiac electrical recording
- EKGCardiac electrical recording
- heart monitorDevice tracking heartbeat
- asystoleZero cardiac electrical activity
- pulseArterial blood throb
vital signs · crash cart · paddles · epinephrine · emergency room · ICU · code blue · time of death
Not allowed
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- consequencesResults of actions taken
- playing GodUsurping divine authority
hubris · medical students · risk · protocol · revival · documentation · observation · pushing limits
cardiac arrest
Abrupt cessation of circulation
- resuscitationRestoring vital functions
- CPREmergency revival technique
- defibrillatorHeart-shocking medical device
clinical death · revival · out-of-body · tunnel · white light · consciousness · brain activity · oxygen deprivation · minutes · threshold
Kiefer Sutherland
- 1990Final decade's start
- medical studentsPhysicians in training
- near-deathAlmost dying
Julia Roberts · Kevin Bacon · revival · defibrillator · experiment · visions · guilt · haunting · redemption · supernatural
near-death experience
Vision when almost dying
purgatory · soul · judgment · spirits · haunting · redemption · consequences · supernatural · limbo · crossing over
ECG
Cardiac electrical recording
- EKGCardiac electrical recording
- heart monitorDevice tracking heartbeat
- asystoleZero cardiac electrical activity
pulse · vital signs · crash cart · paddles · epinephrine · emergency room · ICU · code blue · time of death · pronouncement
forbidden
Not allowed
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- consequencesResults of actions taken
playing God · hubris · medical students · risk · protocol · revival · documentation · observation · pushing limits · scientific curiosity
flatlinersrising stars
Emerging promising talents
overachievers · gainers · climbers · improvers · growth stocks