Table 1

E1
Final apnea
E2
Final asystole
E3
Loss of potential for cardiac autoresuscitation
E4
Loss of potential for interventional resuscitation
E5
Onset of permanent loss of consciousness
E6
Loss of potential for recovery of consciousness
E7
Irreversible loss of all brain function

Adapted from DA Shewmon, The dead donor rule: lessons from linguistics. Kenn Inst Ethics J 14(2004): 277–300.

Huddle et al. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 2008 3:5   doi:10.1186/1747-5341-3-5