Pattern of dying when given a projected death date
Death trajectory refers to the pattern[1] of dying when a patient is given a projected death date with limited or no medical recourse for the remaining existence of the individual's life.[2] The death trajectory is dependent on the cause of death, whether it is sudden death, chronic illness, or the steady decline in health due to senescence (aging).[3] Death trajectory is analyzed in two separate aspects: duration and shape. Duration refers to the period of time a patient has to live, which can be anywhere from imminent death to several months.[2] Shape refers to how that duration is then graphed. In other words, the shape is "the course of dying, its predictability, and whether death is expected or unexpected".[2]
Dying trajectories were first studied in the 1960s by two researchers, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss, in an attempt to understand the end of human life from different ailments, including cancer.[4]
Sudden death trajectory
Sudden or premature death occurs when the death of an individual is not perceived to be imminent. In a sudden death trajectory, an otherwise healthy and high-functioning individual will suddenly and
unexpectedly die without any observable indications of oncoming demise. People are at a high or normal level of functioning until the moment of death occurs. These types of deaths include fatal accidents and inconspicuous health issues like myocardial infarction
or severe stroke. Deaths that align with a sudden death trajectory may happen over the course of a few days or in a matter of seconds.