Symptom: Coma

Introduction: Coma

Coma: Loss of consciousness for a long period. See free access online books about Coma below. See detailed information below for a list of 425 causes of Coma, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Coma: full list

Causes of Coma:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Coma. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Head injury
• Stroke
• Brain damage
• Heart attack
• Shock - see also causes of shock
• Persistent vegetative state
• Metabolic diseases
  • Diabetic coma
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis
  • Kidney disease
  • Liver disease
• Epilepsy
• Brain infection
  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis
• Hypothermia
• Drug overdose
• Alcohol overdose (see Alcohol use)
• There are numerous other causes of coma
• Drug intoxication
• Alcohol intoxication (see Alcohol use)
• Metabolic disturbance
• Infection
• Vascular disturbance
• Hypoxic injury
• Ischemic injury
• Fractured skull
• Bleeding in or around the brain
• Brain tumor
• Brain cancer

See full list of 425 causes of Coma

» Review Causes of Coma: full list

Causes of Types of Coma:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Coma:

• Level of consciousness, decreased

More types of Coma

Coma: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Coma, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Coma: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Coma and Syncope (232 causes)
• Coma and Behavioral symptoms (159 causes)
• Coma and Muscle symptoms (159 causes)
• Coma and Muscle weakness (147 causes)
• Coma and Seizures (147 causes)
• Coma and Digestive symptoms (140 causes)
• Coma and Movement symptoms (134 causes)
• Coma and Fatigue (132 causes)
• Coma and Head symptoms (132 causes)
• Coma and Weakness (122 causes)
• Coma and Spasms (119 causes)
• Coma and Vomiting (118 causes)
• Coma and Nerve symptoms (117 causes)
• Coma and Personality symptoms (114 causes)
• Coma and Pain (113 causes)
• Coma and Muscle spasms (111 causes)
• Coma and Sensations (111 causes)
• Coma and Confusion (109 causes)
• Coma and Respiratory symptoms (108 causes)
• Coma and Death (93 causes)

See full list of 1468 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Coma

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Syncope (787 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Coma

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

• Syncope (787 causes)
• Unconsciousness (216 causes)
• Blackouts (19 causes)
• Fainting (493 causes)
• Delirium (324 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Coma

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Coma from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Coma. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Coma

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic tests for Coma:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Coma. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Perform basic CPR if person is not breathing or has absent pulse
  • Determine the level of consciousness using the Glasgow com scale which determines the degree of coma
  • Note general skin color - e.g. cyanosis (blueness of tongue and peripheries), bruising, jaundice, rashes, hyperpigmentation of Addison's disease.
  • Look for evidence of injury to head

See full list of 37 diagnostic tests for Coma

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Coma. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• A history can be obtained from relatives, friends, witnesses and ambulance officers
• When did the comatose state start? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• What was the setting in which the person was found?
• Recent head injury? - e.g. car accident - may suggest subdural or extradural haematoma or intracerebral hemorrhage.
• Past medical history? - e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism, hepatic failure, renal failure, heart arrhythmias, epilepsy, Addison's disease, high blood pressure, lung disease.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Coma (17 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Coma) may include:

• Fever? - suggests severe infection and shock as cause of coma e.g. meningitis, encephalitis, septicemia, pelvic inflammatory disease, aspiration pneumonia, urinary tract infection, peritonitis, pancreatitis.
• Shortness of breath? - may suggest pulmonary embolism, pneumonia or tension pneumothorax.
• Seizure activity? - e.g. twitching of limbs, incontinence of urine or feces - may suggest epilepsy, brain cancer, meningitis, stroke, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia.
• Headache? - may suggest subarachnoid hemorrhage (sudden severe headache), brain tumor, meningitis, encephalitis.
• Palpitations? - may suggest complete heart block, sick sinus syndrome, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation all which may cause collapse.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Coma (17 listings)

Stories from Users for Coma

Real-life user stories relating to Coma:

• Loss of consciousness! CT scan neg
• In a crazy state
• Sleepless drowsy spells
• Loss of sight, speech and eventually consciousness
• drowsiness and vision distortion Help!
• coma after chemotherapy
• 5 year old in coma please help
• Coma
• Unconscious for 20-30 min

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Coma or relevant symptoms:

• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (171)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Hand numbness
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • Anxiety and high BP
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (136)
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Chest discomfort
  • Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (357)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • Eye twitch
  • Essential tremor
  • More user stories
• Hematologic/Lymphatic (Blood and Lymph) (106)
  • High platelet count
  • Extreme neck pain, swollen lymph node -help
  • Swollen lymph nodes in groin
  • Nipple Discharge
  • Swollen Lymph Node for 2 1/2 months
  • More user stories
• Allergic/Immunologic (88)
  • Chronic hives
  • Spontaneous flushing and redness of face and body.
  • Non-stop itching, no rash
  • Swelling & itching
  • Problems with my scalp can anyone help me
  • More user stories

Videos for Coma

Patient Surveys for Coma

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about diseases related to your Coma
  Take Survey  View Results

Causes of Coma listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Coma as a symptom include:

• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
• Altitude sickness, acute
• Amitriptyline
• Antipsychotic agents
• Arginosuccinic aciduria
• Asphyxiation
• Aspirin
• Atropine
• Baclofen
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• Brain death
• Bromazepam
• Bupivacaine
• Buprenorphine
• Buspirone
• Cannabinoids
• Carbamoylphosphate synthetase 1 deficiency disease
• Carbon monoxide toxicity
• Carbon tetrachloride

See full list of 425 causes of Coma
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Coma:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Coma as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Dextromethorphan
• Benylin DM
• Children’s Hold
• Delsym
• Hold DM

See full list of 60 medications causing Coma

Drug interactions causing Coma:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Coma as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Phenelzine and tricyclic antidepressant interaction
• Nardil and tricyclic antidepressant interaction
• Parnate and tricyclic antidepressant interaction
• Meperidine and monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant interaction
• Demerol and monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant interaction

See full list of 556 drug interactions causing Coma

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)

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)

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 - CRISP)

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 Institute of Health)

Organs affected by Coma:

The list of organs typically affected by Coma may include, but is not limited to:

• Brain

Detailed list of causes of Coma

The list below shows some of the causes of Coma mentioned in various sources:

• 2-methylbutyryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency - coma
• 3 alpha methylcrotonyl-Coa carboxylase 1 deficiency - coma if untreated
• 3 alpha methylcrotonyl-coa carboxylase 2 deficiency - coma if untreated
• 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency - coma if untreated
• Acid-Base Imbalance - coma

See full list of 425 causes of Coma

How Common are these Causes of Coma?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Coma. Of the 425 causes of Coma that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 4 causes are "very common" diseases
• 7 causes are "common" diseases
• 7 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 26 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 400 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 425 causes of Coma

Conditions listing symptoms: Coma:

The following list of conditions have 'Coma' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

A

Causes of Coma Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Coma based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: