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8 things that can lead to a coma
8 things that can lead to a coma
Anonim

If a person has spent more than a year in this state, there is practically no chance of waking up.

8 things that can lead to a coma
8 things that can lead to a coma

What is a coma and what are its symptoms

From ancient Greek, the word "coma" is translated as "deep sleep." Outwardly, this prolonged unconsciousness really looks like Coma: Types, Causes, Treatments and Prognosis to sleep. However, there are also significant differences.

Here are the main symptoms of Coma: Symptoms and Causes:

  • Closed eyes.
  • Impossibility of awakening - a person does not react if he is disturbed, called by name.
  • Pupils do not respond to light. This is a sign of suppression of reflexes of the brain stem.
  • There is no reaction to pain.
  • The limbs are motionless. Only reflex movements are present.
  • The person breathes, but barely noticeable, irregularly, with long pauses between exhalation and inhalation.

When you need to urgently call an ambulance

Is always! Coma is a deadly emergency: a person can die at any time.

If you see someone with the above symptoms, immediately dial the emergency medical service number - in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan it is 103 or 112. In European countries, there is a single number 112.

Because of what you can fall into a coma

The main cause of coma is serious brain damage, which critically affects its performance. They, in turn, can be caused by various reasons. Here are the most common ones.

1. Traumatic brain injury

An unsuccessful fall (for example, while cycling or skiing), an accident, a blow to the head - any of these situations can lead to a coma.

The fact is that with trauma, bleeding or swelling occurs. Excess fluid in the rigid cranium increases pressure on the brainstem. As a result, the departments responsible for consciousness may suffer.

2. Stroke

Acute circulatory disorders of the brain (stroke) together with traumatic brain injuries account for more than 50% of coma cases.

A stroke can be caused by a blockage in arteries or a ruptured blood vessel, leaving part of the brain without oxygen and nutrients and, as a result, begins to die off.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes increases the risk of spikes in blood sugar levels. Too high (hyperglycemia) or, conversely, low (hypoglycemia) glucose levels can lead to the so-called diabetic coma.

4. Acute lack of oxygen

This factor also causes brain edema, as well as the subsequent death of its cells. Therefore, you can fall into a coma after drowning (even if the drowning person was pulled out of the water and performed CPR) or a heart attack (even if the heartbeat and blood supply to the brain were restored).

5. Infections

Infections such as encephalitis and meningitis can cause swelling of the brain, spinal cord, or surrounding tissues. In severe cases, this also leads to a coma.

6. Poisoning

If the body is unable or does not have time to dispose of the toxins found in it, this leads to brain poisoning and the death of neurons, which also sometimes results in a coma.

These toxins can be carbon monoxide or lead trapped in the body from the outside, as well as alcohol and drugs used in large quantities. Some diseases also lead to brain poisoning. For example, with liver disease, toxic ammonia can accumulate in the body, with asthma, carbon dioxide, and with kidney failure, urea.

7. Convulsions

A single seizure rarely causes a coma. But regular seizures - called status epilepticus - can lead to critical brain damage and "deep sleep."

8. Tumors

We are talking about those neoplasms that develop in the brain or its trunk.

How long do they lie in a coma

It depends on how severe the brain damage was. Some cases of coma are reversible. For example, the diabetic option - in order to bring a person to life, it is enough to normalize blood sugar levels as soon as possible.

In general, coma rarely lasts longer than a few weeks. People who remain unconscious for a longer period most often go into a persistent vegetative state. This means that the body is alive and feels well (there is no longer any talk of lethal outcome), but there is no higher mental activity - the person continues to remain unconscious.

People who are in a persistent vegetative state for more than a year practically lose their chances of waking up.

How to help someone in a coma

There is only one option: call emergency medical assistance as soon as possible. Further treatment is determined by doctors. It will depend on the cause of the coma.

For example, antibiotics are given for infection. In case of edema or swelling, objects pressing on the brain are removed surgically. For seizures, medications are prescribed that reduce seizure activity.

Sometimes this therapy helps quickly and the person regains consciousness within a few hours or days. And then, over time, it completely recovers.

But there are no guarantees. The victim may not come out of the coma even after taking medication or surgery. In this case, all that remains is to wait, and the treatment is to keep the body alive.

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