Can a person die if they are on a ventilator?

I'm a medical professional with experience in critical care and respiratory support. When addressing the question of whether a person can die while on a ventilator, it's important to understand the role of a ventilator and the conditions under which it is used. A ventilator is a machine that assists patients who are unable to breathe effectively on their own. It provides oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the body, which is critical for life. However, a ventilator does not prevent death; it merely supports life in patients who are critically ill and unable to maintain their respiratory function without assistance. If a patient's condition is severe enough that their organs, including the heart and lungs, are failing despite the support of a ventilator, they can indeed die. The ventilator can prolong life in certain situations, but it is not a cure for the underlying condition causing respiratory failure. In some cases, the underlying medical condition may be so severe that it leads to multi-organ failure and death, even with the support of a ventilator. In the context of your provided reference, it's clear that a person can die while on a ventilator if their body is no longer able to sustain life despite the life support measures in place. It's also important to note that medical professionals would not keep a deceased person on a ventilator, as it would be both unnecessary and not aligned with medical ethics.

Life support for a dead person? In some cases the patient does die even while on a ventilator. Without a ventilator it would be simple to see and tell they are dead because without oxygen their heart would quickly stop beating. ... You don't want a dead body hooked up to a ventilator for weeks.