Dialysis vs Life Support

[Alex C.]

My definition of "life support" would be a machine that is needed to be used constantly for survival (like an iron lung, respirator, etc.). What dialysis is should be called a treatment for a chronic condition, much like drug therapy, or an asthma inhaler, to be used at specific times.

BTW, in the book "Restaurant at the edge of the Universe", (the sequel book to the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") Douglas Adams has a character who is using a 'death-support machine' to remain dead for the year, for tax purposes.

[LarryG]

However if removed from it (dialysis) you die. So there for it supports you in living. It is a life support system. If a person is going to be removed from an Iron lung consequently his life ends as well.

[MomoMcSleepy]

At first I thought of this as a silly question, but it's a really neat one, really.  According to the technical definition, so ce dialysis,is spotlighting for a vital organ, and balancing the bodies chemicals (somewhat), it IS life support.  zIt'xausr a type of life support.  Normally we associate the years with a
maddie and short-term condition, but of course coma patients can stay on life support (ventilation, feeding tubes, etc.) geologically years.

Of course "life support" makes me think of cardio-pulmonary support apparatuses (I looked up the plural form, fyi), but really anything filling in for a vital bodily function is life support.

interesting question.  I was told never to use the word "interesting...." so "stimulating" question.