![]() Pumping of the stomach, if it is thought the person ate or drank something poisonous.Constant monitoring of their vital signs including pulse, breathing and blood pressure.An intravenous line (IV or drip) to provide fluids and drugs.In the meantime, the person is given immediate intensive care, including: Immediate intensive care for comaProper diagnosis can sometimes take hours or even days. Suspected infections can be checked via lumbar puncture (a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid is drawn from the spine and tested in a laboratory).Scans of the brain, including CT and MRI, may be needed to help diagnose injuries to the brain.Urine tests can show the presence of toxins and sugars.A variety of blood tests can check a range of important factors including red and white blood cell counts, sugar levels, salt levels, alcohol levels, and blood levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide.For example, unequal pupil sizes can indicate pressure in the brain, while pinpoint pupils could suggest narcotic overdose. The pupils of the eyes can offer information about the cause of the coma.The doctor checks for signs of brain damage such as complete limpness of the whole body or unusual breathing patterns.The body is examined for injuries in case the person may have sustained a serious head injury.A high temperature may indicate fever and infection, while a low temperature suggests hypothermia. The airway, breathing, blood pressure and pulse of the person are checked.Generally, the order in which medical personnel diagnose and treat for coma is: Immediate treatment is crucial in this type of life-threatening situation. For example, a person with diabetes may have dangerously lowered their blood sugar levels by accidentally injecting too much insulin. Psychiatric – mental disorders, including depression and catatonia, can cause a state of consciousness that appears very similar to coma.ĭiagnosis of comaA coma is a medical emergency.This can include acute cardiac arrest (heart attack), alcohol poisoning, drug overdose (prescribed or illegal), carbon monoxide poisoning, liver or kidney failure, hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars), hyperglycaemia (high blood sugars), fever, electrocution and hypothermia (drop in body temperature) Extracranial – any external event that reduces oxygen or blood flow to the brain (cerebral hypoxia).This can include infection (such as meningitis), haemorrhage following a severe head injury, stroke, brain abscess, brain tumour, cerebral oedema (swelling of the brain) or the after-effects of an epileptic seizure Intracranial – events occurring within the skull.For example, one pupil is larger than the other or both pupils are constricted.Ĭauses of comaThe various causes of coma can be broadly divided into three main categories, which are: Their pupils may be affected in a number of different ways.They may be holding their body in an unusual posture.No amount of sensory stimulation can wake them up.Symptoms of comaThe symptoms of coma include: In some cases a person can descend into a persistent vegetative state, where the brain has lost its higher functions (including consciousness, self-awareness and personality) but retains involuntary functions such as breathing and swallowing, heart rate and blood pressure. A wide range of illnesses, conditions and events can cause coma.Ĭoma occurs when there is a serious problem with the brain’s arousal system (the reticular activating system), or with its communications between other brain areas (such as the cerebral hemispheres) and the brain’s activity becomes impaired. A person in a coma can’t even respond to pain. Coma is a state of consciousness that is similar to deep sleep, except no amount of external stimuli (such as sounds or sensations) can prompt the brain to become awake and alert.
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