life support

noun

: medical equipment, treatments, or medications that temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery

The patient was placed on life support.

A mechanical pump that was invented as a temporary life support for patients with advanced heart failure is emerging as a potential tool to help hearts heal and function for the long term on their own.

—Ron Winslow

The current pediatric and adult life support recommendations suggest an epinephrine administration interval … of 3–5 minutes during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

—Donald H. Shaffner and Clifton W. Callaway

—sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun

life-support equipment

life-support measures

Examples of life support in a Sentence

He was removed from life support.

She was put on life support.

equipment providing life support for astronauts

Recent Examples on the Web

Pregnant women were placed on life support, undergoing emergency C-sections as the virus triggered severe complications. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024

Evelyn was taken to the hospital and died more than 12 hours later at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where she was placed on life support. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2024

Trump torpedoes Johnson's deal after feverish GOP speculation House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) spending deal was already on life support Wednesday. —Dave Lawler, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024

And just like that, the notion of the Washington Commanders returning to play games in the nation’s capital is on life support. —Ben Standig, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

life support

noun

: medical equipment, treatments, or medications used to temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery

Extracorporeal life support … is used to support the circulation of a patient with severe cardiac failure. The physiologic objective is to provide temporary circulatory support to the vital organs and to unload the failing heart as the injured myocardium attempts to recover.

—Massimo Massetti et al., The Annals of Thoracic Surgery

Most of the patients from whom support was withheld or withdrawn had intracranial lesions, usually the result of trauma. A poor prognosis or brain death prompted the withholding or withdrawal of life support in most patients.

—Nicholas G. Smedira et al., The New England Journal of Medicine

—sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun

The principles of medical ethics permit active, direct euthanasia … as well as passive and indirect forms. The latter include withholding or removing life-support measures, administering effective pain controls that often hasten death, and assisting patients in suicide.

—Susan S. Mattingly, The New England Journal of Medicine