Unconscious Patient: Emergency Diagnosis and Treatment
Being potentially life-threatening condition that considerably determines an outcome for patients with various neurological disorders, coma always represents a challenge for a practicing physician. As far as comatose state is frequently associated with critical disturbances of vital functions, well-timed selection of treatment tactics, based on ability to make a correct diagnostic decision promptly, may be of utmost importance. This article describes the key principles of emergency diagnosis and treatment of unconscious patients, presented in up-to-date medical literature.