New Onset Coma: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:27, 10 December 2009

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

There are three main categories that cause new onset coma: metabolic, infective and neurological:

Drug - Alcohol abuse, drug abuse and carbon monoxide poisoning are all good. Wernicke's Encephalopathy can also be caused.
Sugar - Low sugar (hypoglycaemia), or high sugar (ketoacidosis) both cause coma in diabetics.

First things first: ABC
Check blood glucose and if its low, give them 50mL of 50% dextrose immediately! This can prevent brain damage. If its high, treat the shock, then give them some insulin.

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 There are three main categories that cause new onset coma: [[metabolic]], [[infective]] and [[neurological]]:
-====Metabolic causes of new coma====
+=====Metabolic causes of new coma=====
 *'''Drug''' - [[Alcohol abuse]], [[drug abuse]] and carbon monoxide poisoning are all good. [[Wernicke's Encephalopathy]] can also be caused.
 *'''Sugar''' - Low sugar ([[hypoglycaemia]]), or high sugar ([[ketoacidosis]]) both cause coma in [[diabetics]].
-====Infective causes of new coma====
+=====Infective causes of new coma=====
 *'''[[Septicaemia]]'''
 *'''[[Meningitis]]''' and [[encephalitis]].
-====Neurological causes of new coma====
+=====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.