A legal document that enables a patient to instruct others about future medical care wishes in the event that the patient is not able to speak for himself. Living wills and health care power of attorney documents are two common types of advance directives.

An order placed on a patient's file that instructs the doctor not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should the patient stop breathing or suffer cardiac arrest.

An ethical principle that claims it is acceptable if a morally good action has a morally bad side-effect, provided that the side-effect wasn't intended (even if it was foreseen). The principle is used to justify situations in which a doctor gives a patient drugs to relieve painful symptoms, when doing so may shorten the patient's life.

Literally a "good death" (from the Greek word roots "eu" and "thanatos"). In modern terminology, the killing of person in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.

A concept to guide physicians in refusing to administer treatment to a patient who is approaching death, in the event that such treatment can no longer benefit the patient.

A document that lets a patient appoint someone to make medical decisions should the patient become unable to do so.

An ancient Greek medical text that is still recited by many medical school graduates to this day. It requires a new physician to swear that he will uphold certain professional ethical standards. The original version includes provisions against abortion, surgery, and euthanasia.

A facility designed to provide a caring environment for meeting the physical and emotional needs of the terminally ill.

A written expression of how a patient wants to be treated in various medical situations should he not be able to speak for himself.

Killing someone in a relatively painless manner for the purpose of ending their suffering.

A situation in which a physician ends the life of a patient who is not competent and who therefore cannot give consent.

Care provided to ease the suffering of a dying person when a cure is not possible.

When a patient dies because medical professionals either don't do something necessary to keep the patient alive or stop doing something that is keeping the patient alive, such as withdraw life-support.

The scientific study of the nature of disease and its causes.

When a patient dies as a result of the voluntary ingestion of a fatal dose of medication that a physician has prescribed for that purpose.

When a patient chooses to end his/her own life with the aid of a physician.

To return to consciousness, often by employing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

An argument that an initial action taken will lead to an undesirable event occuring later. In the context of the euthanasia debate, the argument that legalizing voluntary euthanasia/physician-assisted suicide will lead to abuses such as legalized murder.

An illness expected to lead to a person's death in the near future.

Intentionally ending a patient's life at the patient's voluntary and informed request.