Archive:Coma

Causes of Coma

• One Mneumonic is “GAMETIMES”:

• G glucose (hyperosmolar or hypoglycemia)
• A anoxia, acidosis, alcohol’s
• M medications (one of the most common causes)
• E electrolytes, “environment” (hypothermia)
• T tumor, toxins, trauma
• I infections (e.g. meningitis, encephalitis, sepsis)
• M Metabolic, adrenal, renal, hepatic, (diabetes listed above)
• E epilepsy
• S stroke, (P)sychiatric pseudocoma

The Glasgow Coma Scale

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Eye opening	Best Motor Response	Verbal Response
Spontaneous 4	Follows commands 6	Orientated 5
To speech 3	Localizes to painful stimuli 5	Confused conversation 4
To pain 2	Withdrawal from pain 4	Inappropriate words 3
No response 1	Flexion reflex response to pain 3	Incomprehensible sounds 2
	Extension reflex response to pain 2	No response 1
	No response 1