Consciousness - decreased

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Treatment

Consciousness - decreased

Definition:

Decreased consciousness refers to diminished alertness or awareness.

Alternative Names:

Stuporous; Mental status - decreased; Loss of alertness; Decreased consciousness; Alertness - decreased; Changes in consciousness; Obtundation; Coma

Considerations:

Decreased consciousness may result from a multitude of conditions including intoxication (drug, alcohol, or toxin), metabolic abnormalities, seizure activity (epilepsy), central nervous system diseases and conditions, head trauma, shock, decreased oxygen (hypoxia), and decreased blood pressure (hypotension).

Decrease in consciousness, unconsciousness, and coma almost always require medical evaluation (with the possible exception of alcohol intoxication, simple fainting, or a previously recognized seizure disorder).

Persistent coma is called vegetative state.

Common Causes:

head trauma
extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation
seizure activity
stroke (CVA)
heart failure
arrhythmia
diabetic coma (diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar coma)
hypoglycemia
ketoacidosis
head injury
drug intoxication (for example, from pain killers, anticonvulsants, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, digoxin, ethanol (see ethanol overdose), heavy metals, hydrocarbons, barbiturates, insulin, lithium, organophosphates, phencyclidine, phenothiazines - oral, salicylates - oral, or tricyclic antidepressants)
electrolyte abnormality (hypernatremia, hypercalcemia)
infection

Review Date: 10/17/2005
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, M.D., Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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