ABSTRACT
Coma is the manifestation of a depressed level of consciousness. Coma is usually defined as a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 8 or less. Coma reflects pathology in the reticular activating system of the brain stem or the cerebral cortex. The principals of critical care management of coma include:
• Protecting the patient from further injury. • Diagnosing the underlying cause. • Managing the patient to ensure an optimal outcome.
