A MEDICAL EMER WAS DECLARED IN ORDER TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT FOR ATTN TO A PAX THAT WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND LATER PASSED AWAY IN THE COACH AREA ON AN OVERWATER FLT TO HNL; HI.

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APPROX 20 MINS PAST 'PET' [FLT PLAN EQUI-TIME] POINT; THE PURSER NOTIFIED US OF A 61 YR OLD FEMALE ON OXYGEN AND NO PULSE. WAS GETTING AED READY AND CALLED FOR ANY DOCTORS ON BOARD. CPR WAS BEING SEVERELY HAMPERED DUE TO SIZE OF PAX. PAX WAS LYING DOWN; ROW 23. SEVERAL CALLS MADE TO ME INQUIRING HOW TO RELEASE SEAT BACKS IN ROW AHEAD SO PAX CAN BE ATTENDED TO. 2 DOCTORS AND A NURSE IDENTED THEMSELVES AND TOOK OVER; BUT WERE HAMPERED BY THE SEAT BACKS. AED INDICATED 'FLAT LINE' AND 'NO SHOCK' ADVISORY. CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA SATCOM AND TOLD PURSER TO USE 'DSP.' DISPATCH HAD COMPANY DOCTOR STANDING BY TO SPEAK WITH ONBOARD DOCTORS. SEVERAL MORE CALLS REGARDING 'FLAT LINE' STATUS OF PAX. ADVISED DOCTOR WAS TO INSERT JUGULAR IV AND GROIN IV. DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO FL340 TO LOWER CABIN ALT. THE FO FELT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE SEAT BACKS OUT OF THE WAY. AFTER ENSURING FROM PURSER AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS THIS WAS A REAL LIFE THREATENING SIT AND NOT A DIVERSION; AND AED RPTING 'FLAT LINE' AND ALREADY ESTABLISHED COM WITH COMPANY DOCTOR AND ONBOARD DOCTORS; I FELT WE HAD AN OVERRIDING EMER AND THE FO WENT TO CABIN USING THE 2 PERSON RULE AND ALL APPROVED PROCS OPENING COCKPIT DOOR. THE FO WAS SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING SPACE. HE RETURNED IN 5 MINS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH DISPATCH; WE DETERMINED IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CANCEL THE EMER STATUS OF THE FLT. MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT UPON ARR IN HNL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 598181: THE COCKPIT CREW DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS NOT A DISTR CREATED TO BREACH THE SECURITY OF THE FLT. THE FO WENT INTO THE MAIN CABIN TO AID IN BENDING THE SEAT BACKS AND TO DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF THE WOMAN'S CONDITION. THE WOMAN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT DEST.