Coma scale Health Dictionary

The state of complete loss of consciousness... coma

A method developed by two doctors in Glasgow that is used to assess the depth of COMA or unconsciousness suffered by an individual. The scale is split into three groups – eye opening, motor response, and verbal response – with the level of activity within each group given a score. A person’s total score is the sum of the numbers scored in each group, and this provides a reasonably objective assessment of the patient’s coma state – particularly useful when monitoring people who have suffered a head injury. (See also PERSISTENT VEGETATIVE STATE (PVS).)... glasgow coma scale

A set of numbers or other symbols used to designate characteristics of a variable that is used in measurement. A system for measuring equal portions.... scale

See RECOVERY POSITION and APPENDIX 1: BASIC FIRST AID.... coma position

See “measurement scale”.... dichotomous scale

Hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar occurs when a patient with DIABETES MELLITUS suffers an imbalance between carbohydrate/glucose intake and INSULIN dosage. If there is more insulin than is needed to help metabolise the available carbohydrate, it causes a range of symptoms such as sweating, trembling, pounding heartbeat, anxiety, hunger, nausea, tiredness and headache. If the situation is not quickly remedied by taking oral sugar – or, if severe, giving glucose by injection – the patient may become confused, drowsy and uncoordinated, ?nally lapsing into a COMA. Hypoglycaemia is infrequent in people whose diabetes is controlled with diet and oral HYPOGLYCAEMIC AGENTS.

Treatment of acute hypoglycaemia depends upon the severity of the condition. Oral carbohydrate, such as a sugary drink or chocolate, may be e?ective if the patient is conscious enough to swallow; if not, glucose or GLUCAGON by injection will be required. Comatose patients who recover after an injection should then be given oral carbohydrates. An occasional but dangerous complication of coma is cerebral oedema (see BRAIN, DISEASES OF – Cerebral oedema), and this should be considered if coma persists. Emergency treatment in hospital is then needed. When the patient has recovered, management of his or her diabetes should be assessed in order to prevent further hypoglycaemic attacks.... hypoglycaemic coma

See “measurement scale”.... interval scale

An ordinal scale of responses to a question or statement ordered in a hierarchical sequence, such as from “strongly agree” through “no opinion” to “strongly disagree”.... likert scale

The complete range of possible values for a measurement (e.g. the set of possible responses to a question, the physically possible range for a set of body weights). Measurement scales are sometimes classified into five major types, according to the quantitative character of the scale: dichotomous scale: One that arranges items into either of two mutually exclusive categories. nominal scale: Classification into unordered qualitative categories, such as race, religion, and country of birth, as measurements of individual attributes are purely nominal scales, as there is no inherent order to their categories. ordinal scale: Classification into ordered qualitative categories, such as social class, where the values have a distinct order, but their categories are qualitative in that there is no natural (numerical) distance between their possible values. interval scale: An (equal) interval involving assignment of values with a natural distance between them, so that a particular distance (interval) between two values in one region of the scale meaningfully represents the same distance between two values in another region of the scale. An example is date of birth. ratio scale: A ratio is an interval scale with a true zero point, so that ratios between values are meaningfully defined. Examples are weight, height, blood count and income, as in each case it is meaningful to speak of one value as being so many times greater or less than another.... measurement scale

See “measurement scale”.... nominal scale

See “measurement scale”.... ordinal scale

See “measurement scale”.... ratio scale

See TEMPERATURE.... thermometer scales

A temperature scale in which the melting point of ice is zero degrees (0°C) and the boiling point of water is 100 degrees (100°C). On this scale, normal body temperature is 37°C.

(See also Fahrenheit scale.)... celsius scale

The obsolete name for the celsius scale.... centigrade scale

A temperature scale in which the melting point of ice is 32º and the boiling point of water is 212º. On this scale, normal body temperature is 98.4ºF, which is the equivalent of 37º Celsius (C). To convert a Fahrenheit temperature to Celsius, subtract 32 and multiply by 0.56 (or 5/9). To convert a Celsius temperature to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 (or 9/5) then add 32. (See also Celsius scale.)... fahrenheit scale

a quick method for determining the severity of a case of serious trauma. It can be used for purposes of *triage and *clinical audit.... abbreviated injury scale

(CHAPS) a questionnaire designed to assess children’s hearing abilities in certain situations. It is used in the diagnosis of *auditory processing disorder.... children’s auditory performance scale

a questionnaire to assess the likelihood of falling asleep. It is used to investigate sleep disorders, including *obstructive sleep apnoea.... epworth sleepiness scale

(in radiology) a scale representing the possible gradient of densities from black to white for each *pixel in an image. In an *analogue image this gradient is smooth. A *digital image has many discrete steps. The more steps allowed, the closer to representing the true analogue image it comes, although more steps require more computer memory. Images can be manipulated by *windowing. This concept is particularly valuable in *computerized tomography. See Hounsfield unit; digitization.... grey scale

a life-threatening condition due to severe *hypothyroidism, which is often precipitated by an acute event, such as surgery, prolonged exposure to cold, infection, trauma, other severe illness, or sedative drugs. It manifests as hypothermia, slowing of the heart rate with a reduction in blood pressure and sometimes heart failure, pleural and peritoneal effusions, urinary retention, and a gradually reduced conscious state resulting in coma. Blood tests show hypothyroidism, *hyponatraemia, hypercholesterolaemia, retention of carbon dioxide, and anaemia. Treatment is with intravenous *thyroxine at a high dosage until the patient wakes up, when tablets can be administered. Support on a ventilator and intravenous fluids may be needed. Active slow rewarming should be undertaken.... myxoedema coma

n. one of four paired muscles of the neck (scalenus anterior, medius, minimus, and posterior), extending from the cervical (neck) vertebrae to the first and second ribs. They are responsible for raising the first and second ribs in inspiration and for bending the neck forward and to either side.... scalenus

(thoracic outlet syndrome) the group of symptoms caused by compression of the subclavian artery and the lower roots of the brachial plexus against the fibrous and bony structures of the outlet of the upper thoracic vertebrae. Loss of sensation, wasting, and vascular symptoms may be found in the affected arm, which may also be painful.... scalenus syndrome

n. an instrument for removing calculus from the teeth. It may be a hand instrument (usually sickle or curette) or one energized by rapid ultrasonic vibrations.... scaler

standardized scales for the measurement of *intelligence quotient (IQ) in adults and children. They are administered by a psychologist. See intelligence test. [D. Wechsler (1896–1981), US psychologist]... wechsler scales