Coma: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Coma differs from sleep, a brief faint and brain death. Recovery depends on cause and injury severity; appearance alone cannot predict outcome or recovery time.

Related reading: How coma differs from brain death.

Purposeful communication and wakefulness are absent. Limb responses, pupils and breathing may change. Reflex movement does not necessarily mean awareness has returned; unresponsiveness needs emergency care.

Head injury, stroke, oxygen deprivation and ongoing seizures are possible causes. Glucose or electrolyte disturbances, infection, organ failure, poisoning and overdose can also produce coma.

Risk reflects the cause, including head injury, uncontrolled diabetes, epilepsy, vascular disease or toxic exposure. Medication interactions can add risk, especially in older people.

Clinicians assess breathing, glucose, consciousness and reflexes while gathering medication, exposure and injury history. Blood tests, brain imaging and EEG may identify treatable causes or seizures.

Treatment supports breathing and circulation and promptly addresses causes such as hypoglycemia, poisoning or infection. Nutrition, complication prevention and rehabilitation are tailored as the condition evolves.

Pressure injuries, infection, blood clots and later movement, swallowing or cognitive difficulties may occur. Persistent impaired consciousness or death is possible; prognosis requires ongoing clinical review.

Following diabetes and epilepsy plans, using seat belts and helmets and storing medicines safely can reduce some causes. Not every coma is preventable.