title: Initial Diagnosis and Management of Coma.
abstract: Coma represents a true medical emergency. Drug intoxications are a leading cause of coma; however, other metabolic disturbances and traumatic brain injury are also common causes. The general emergency department approach begins with stabilization of airway, breathing, and circulation, followed by a thorough physical examination to generate a limited differential diagnosis that is then refined by focused testing. Definitive treatment is ultimately disease-specific. This article presents an overview of the pathophysiology, causes, examination, and treatment of coma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 1-738, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA. Electronic address: traub.stephen@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Traub
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Eelco F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Wijdicks
mesh_terms: D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination
keywords: Coma; Coma mimics; Pathophysiology