The key difference between death rattle and agonal breathing is that death rattle is a sign of a patient transitioning to the final stage of the dying process and is caused by mucous and saliva build up in the throat, while agonal breathing is the inadequate pattern of breathing caused due to the heart no longer circulating oxygenated blood.
Death rattle and agonal breathing are two signs that normally occur in the final stage of death in a patient. As patients become weaker or lose consciousness, they lose the ability to clear their throat, which causes a death rattle. This results in a wet rattling sound as the patient breathes in and out through build-up mucus in the throat. Moreover, agonal breathing can also be seen at such a critical stage due to a lack of oxygenated blood.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Death Rattle
3. What is Agonal Breathing
4. Similarities – Death Rattle and Agonal Breathing
5. Death Rattle vs Agonal Breathing in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Death Rattle vs Agonal Breathing
What is Death Rattle?
A death rattle is a sign that a patient is transitioning to the final stage of the dying process. It is caused by mucous and saliva build-up in the throat. It is also known as terminal respiratory secretions. At this stage, the human body naturally begins to conserve energy. Therefore, many organs function slowly or cease functioning. This typically lasts no more than a few hours. But in some patients, it is different and can continue for long as 24 to 48 hours. The symptoms of death rattle include wet rattling sounds, confusion, lung congestion, incontinence, difficulty breathing, a difference in the odour of the patient, bluish extremities, agitation, sleepiness, loss of consciousness, and mottled skin.
Furthermore, death rattle can be managed by turning the person on their side, raising the head to drain the secretions, moistening the mouth with damp swabs, limiting the intake of fluid, administrating medications such as atropine or hyoscyamine to decrease the production of saliva, and administrating medications to clear out secretions.
What is Agonal Breathing?
Agonal breathing is the inadequate pattern of breathing caused due to the heart no longer circulating oxygenated blood. Agonal breathing does not always occur when someone is dying. It can also be brought on by sudden death, especially for someone who is facing a prolonged terminal illness. The causes of agonal breathing include cardiac arrest, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, drug overdose, and anoxia. The symptoms of agonal breathing include gasping, snorting or moaning sound, sporadic breathing, droopy face, lack of coordination, worst headache, slurred speech, half of the body going limp, incomprehensible speech, and unconsciousness.
Furthermore, agonal breathing can be managed through cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR (a procedure consisting of chest compressions and artificial ventilation) and reviving with the help of an automated external defibrillator (AED).
What are the Similarities Between Death Rattle and Agonal Breathing?
- Death rattle and agonal breathing are two signs that normally occur in the final stage of the death process in a patient.
- Both can occur simultaneously.
- They occur in critical patients.
- Both can be diagnosed through physical and clinical evaluation.
- They are managed through caregiving.
What is the Difference Between Death Rattle and Agonal Breathing?
A death rattle is a sign of a patient transitioning to the final stage of the dying process and is caused by mucous and saliva build-up in the throat, while agonal breathing is the inadequate pattern of breathing caused due to the heart no longer circulating oxygenated blood. Thus, this is the key difference between death rattle and agonal breathing. Furthermore, death rattle always occurs in the final stage of the death process, while agonal breathing can occur in the final stage of the death process or in a person who is facing a prolonged terminal illness.
The below infographic presents the differences between death rattle and agonal breathing in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Death Rattle vs Agonal Breathing
Death rattle and agonal breathing are two signs that normally occur in the final stage of death. Both these can occur simultaneously. A death rattle is a sign of a patient transitioning to the final stage of the dying process. It is caused by mucous and saliva build-up in the throat. Meanwhile, agonal breathing is an inadequate pattern of breathing when the heart no longer circulates oxygenated blood. So, this is the key difference between death rattle and agonal breathing.
Reference:
1. “Death Rattle: Signs, Meaning, and Duration.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International.
2. Roland, James. “Agonal Breathing: Symptoms, Causes, and More.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 26 Feb. 2018.
Image Courtesy:
1. “2002 CPR Technique” By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013. (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia