Coma and brain death: Difference between revisions

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The difference between coma and brain death is that patients can recover from coma. They can't recover from brain death. Kind of like the difference between having a cold, and being Welsh.
The difference between coma and brain death is that patients can recover from coma. They can't recover from brain death. Kind of like the difference between having a cold, and being Welsh.
===New Onset Coma===
[[image:emergency.gif|left]]'''[[Medical Emergency]] - [[New Onset Coma]] is an immediate reason to worry, start crying, and perhaps call a real doctor!'''
[[image:emergency.gif|left]]'''[[Medical Emergency]] - New onset [[coma]] is an immediate reason to worry, start crying, and perhaps call a real doctor!'''
====Causes====
There are three main categories that cause new onset coma: [[metabolic]], [[infective]] and [[neurological]]:
'''Metabolic causes of new coma''':
*'''Drug''' - [[Alcohol abuse]], [[drug abuse]] and carbon monoxide poisoning are all good.
*'''Sugar''' - Low sugar ([[hypoglycaemia]]), or high sugar ([[ketoacidosis]]) both cause coma in [[diabetics]].
'''Infective causes of new coma''':
*'''[[Septicaemia]]'''
*'''[[Meningitis]]''' and [[encephalopathy]].
'''Neurological causes of new coma''':
*'''Trauma''' - [[Head injury]] is a good one for putting you in a coma.
*'''Tumour''' - A [[brain tumour]] in the wrong place can cause a coma.
*'''Vascular''' - A [[stroke]] or a [[haemorrhagic bleed]].
 
====Management====


===Diagnosis===
===Diagnosis===
Line 43: Line 28:
'''Score'''
'''Score'''
Your score is out of 15.
Your score is out of 15.
*>13. Sorry, you only have a mild problem. Maybe try some [[trauma]]?
*9-12. You have a moderate coma. With a little work, you may still make it!
*<9. Well done! You have a severe coma.
*<9. Well done! You have a severe coma.
*9-12. You have a moderate coma. With a little work, you may still make it!
 
*>13. Sorry, you only have a mild problem. Maybe try another bottle of whisky?
===Causes===
Nice differential for coma: '''AEIOUTIPS'''
*'''A'''lcohol
*'''E'''pilepsy
*'''I'''nfection
*'''O'''verdose
*'''U'''raemia
*'''T'''rauma
*'''I'''nsulin
*'''P'''oison
*'''S'''troke


===Brain Death===
===Brain Death===

Latest revision as of 14:48, 5 June 2010

The difference between coma and brain death is that patients can recover from coma. They can't recover from brain death. Kind of like the difference between having a cold, and being Welsh.

Emergency.gif

Medical Emergency - New Onset Coma is an immediate reason to worry, start crying, and perhaps call a real doctor!

Diagnosis

A coma is a deep state of unconciousness. Unlike sleep, they cannot wake up, respond to pain or perform voluntary actions. The most widely recognised way of diagnosing a coma is through the Glasgow Coma Scale:

Coma patients are sometimes known as vegetables. Which is odd, because I'm pretty sure they don't count as one of your 5 a day.

Motor

  1. Makes no movements.
  2. Extension on pain
  3. Abnormal flexion on pain.
  4. Withdrawal/flexion on pain.
  5. Localises painful stimuli.
  6. Moves on command.

Verbal

  1. Makes no sounds.
  2. Makes noises.
  3. Makes words, but no sense.
  4. Confused conversation.
  5. Normal conversation.

Eyes

  1. Does not open eyes.
  2. Opens eyes to pain.
  3. Opens eyes to voice.
  4. Opens eyes spontaneously.

Score Your score is out of 15.

  • >13. Sorry, you only have a mild problem. Maybe try some trauma?
  • 9-12. You have a moderate coma. With a little work, you may still make it!
  • <9. Well done! You have a severe coma.

Causes

Nice differential for coma: AEIOUTIPS

  • Alcohol
  • Epilepsy
  • Infection
  • Overdose
  • Uraemia
  • Trauma
  • Insulin
  • Poison
  • Stroke

Brain Death

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