Diseases » Coma » Introduction

Coma

Coma: Introduction

Coma: A coma is a profound or deep state of unconsciousness. The affected individual is alive but is not able to react or respond to life around him/her. ... more about Coma.

Coma: Prolonged unconsciousness. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Coma is available below.

Symptoms of Coma

• Total unconsciousness
• Coma
• more symptoms...»

Read more about symptoms of Coma

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Coma:

• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Related Home Testing:
  • ADHD -- Home Tests
  • Drug Screening Kits
• more tests...»

Coma: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Coma:

• Permanent brain damage
• Persistent Vegetative State
• more complications...»

Disease Topics Related To Coma

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Coma:

• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Subdural hematoma
• Intracerebral hematoma
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Diabetic coma
• more related diseases...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Coma

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Coma?

• Misdiagnosis of Coma
• Failure to diagnose Coma
• Hidden causes of Coma (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Coma

Coma: Self Assessment Tools

• Stroke -- Self Assessment Tools
• more tools...»

Coma: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Coma:

• Stroke
• Brain
• more product offers...»

Coma: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Undiagnosed:
  • Adult ADHD -- Undiagnosed - ADHD can be undiagnosed in adults.
  • ADHD -- Undiagnosed
  • Alzheimer Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
  • Concentration Disorders -- Undiagnosed
  • Stroke -- Undiagnosed
  • Bipolar Disorder -- Undiagnosed
  • Schizophrenia -- Undiagnosed
  • Epilepsy -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Misdiagnosis and Coma

Undiagnosed stroke leads to misdiagnosed aphasia: BBC News UK reported on a man who had been institutionalized and treated for mental illness because he suffered from sudden inability to speak. This was initially...read more »

Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for a patient to show mental decline to dementia. Whereas this can, of course, occur due to various medical conditions, such as a stroke or Alzheimer's disease, it...read more »

Mild traumatic brain injury often remains undiagnosed: Although the symptoms of severe brain injury are hard to miss, it is less clear for milder injuries, or even those causing a mild concussion diagnosis. The...read more »

MTBI misdiagnosed as balance problem: When a person has symptoms such as vertigo or dizziness, a diagnosis of brain injury may go overlooked. This is particularly true of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI),...read more »

Brain pressure condition often misdiagnosed as dementia: A condition that results from an excessive pressure of CSF within the brain is often misdiagnosed. It may be...read more »

Post-concussive brain injury often misdiagnosed: A study found that soldiers who had suffered a concussive injury in battle often were misdiagnosed on their return. A variety of symptoms can occur in post-concussion syndrome...read more »

Children with migraine often misdiagnosed: A migraine often fails to be correctly diagnosed in pediatric patients. These patients are not the typical migraine sufferers, but migraines can also occur in children. See ...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Coma

Coma: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists):
  • Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists)
  • Pediatric Neurology (Child Brain Specialist)
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery (Child Neurosurgeon)
  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Neurodevelopment Disabilities
  • Neurosurgery (Brain Surgery)
  • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (Nerve/Muscle/Bone Specialists)
  • Neuroradiology
  • Vascular Neurology
  • Neuropathology
  • Otology / Neurotology (Ear/Hearing Specialists)
• Stroke & Vascular Specialists:
  • Vascular Neurology (Brain Blood Vessels)
  • Vascular & Interventional Radiology
  • Vascular Surgery (Blood Vessel Surgeon)
  • Neuropathology (Brain Diagnostics)
• Senior Health Specialists (Geriatrics):
  • Geriatric Medicine (Senior Health Specialist)
  • Geriatric Psychiatry (Senior Mental Health)
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Coma: Rare Types

Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:

• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Rare Types:
  • Adult ADHD -- Rare Types
  • ADHD -- Rare Types
  • Alzheimer Disease -- Rare Types
  • Migraine -- Rare Types
  • Concentration Disorders -- Rare Types
  • Stroke -- Rare Types
  • Bipolar Disorder -- Rare Types
  • Schizophrenia -- Rare Types
  • Epilepsy -- Rare Types
• more rare diseases...»

Causes of Coma

• Shock
• Head trauma
• Brain infection
• Brain inflammation
• Poisoning
• more causes...»

See full list of 521 causes of Coma

More information about causes of Coma:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Coma (60 listings)
• Drug interactions causing Coma (556 listings)
• Underlying causes of Coma
• Coma as a complication caused by other conditions
• Coma as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Coma

Treatments for Coma

• Magnesium - possibly used for related magnesium deficiency
• more treatments...»

Read more about treatments for Coma

Latest Treatments for Coma

• Oxygen
• IV fluid replacement
• Analgesia
• Naloxone
• Ceftriaxone
• more treatments...»

See full list of 13 latest treatments for Coma

News Archives for Coma

Medical news articles related to Coma include:

• Health Tip: Reduce Environmental Waste
• Swine Flu Now Reported in All 50 States
• Swine Flu Now Reported in All 50 States
• 3-Drug Combo Reduces Nausea After Chemo
• Circumcision Can Reduce AIDS Risk, Study Shows
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Videos for Coma

See full list of 25 related videos

Patient Surveys for Coma

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Coma
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Coma

Prognosis for Coma: The outcome for coma and vegetative state depends on the cause and on the location, severity, and extent of neurological damage: outcomes range from recovery to death. People may emerge from a coma with a combination of physical, intellectual, and psychological difficulties that need special attention. Recovery usually occurs gradually, with patients acquiring more and more ability to respond. Some patients never progress beyond very basic responses, but many recover full awareness. Patients recovering from coma require close medical supervision. A coma rarely lasts more than 2 to 4 weeks. Some patients may regain a degree of awareness after vegetative state. Others may remain in a vegetative state for years or even decades. The most common cause of death for a person in a vegetative state is infection such as pneumonia. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Coma Information Page: NINDS)

More about prognosis of Coma

Reseach about Coma

Visit our research pages for current research about Coma treatments.

Clinical Trials for Coma

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Coma include:

• Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy and Paroxysmal Dysautonomia in Severe Brain-Injured Patients - This study has been suspended (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - baclofen (drug)
• Comparison of Central and Peripheral Venous Catheters - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Thyroxine Replacement in Organ Donors - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - L-thryoxine
• The Effect of Nebulized Albuterol on Donor Oxygenation - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Albuterol
• RICE Trial: Rifaximin In Chronic Hepatic Encephalopathy - A Randomized, Controlled Trial - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Rifaximin alone, Rifaximin combined with Lactulose
• more trials...»

See full list of 7 Clinical Trials for Coma

Statistics for Coma

• Medical statistics for Coma
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Coma
• Death and Mortality statistics for Coma
• Society statistics for Coma

Coma: Broader Related Topics

• Brain conditions
• more types...»

Types of Coma

Stories from Users Related to Coma

• Is a b12 level of 185 okay?????
• Loss of consciousness! CT scan neg
• b-12 levels of 137
• Living in a Dream-like State
• In a crazy state
• I feel like I am on sedating meds 24/7
• Sleepless drowsy spells
• Unexplained Coma
• Two siblings, two seperate states and both too sick. . .
• Morning Cortisol levels
• How often are your levels checked?
• Loss of sight, speech and eventually consciousness
• coma after chemotherapy
• drowsiness and vision distortion Help!
• Hypothyroidism with normal levels? Help!
• b12 level falls fast
• reduce facial oil - supplements
• What are normal TSH levels?
• Quick Question: Normal hemoglobin levels but Anemic?
• reduced penis feeling

Related forums and medical stories:

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Coma, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Coma

A coma is a profound or deep state of unconsciousness. The affected individual is alive but is not able to react or respond to life around him/her. Coma may occur as an expected progression or complication of an underlying illness, or as a result of an event such as head trauma. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Coma Information Page: NINDS)

Definitions of Coma:

Profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused; coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem. - (Source - Diseases Database)

A state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Coma is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Coma, or a subtype of Coma, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

 » Next page: What is Coma?

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