Glasgow coma scale

The Glasgow Coma Scale is a simple scale for estimating a consciousness disorder. It is often used in intensive care medicine - especially after a craniocerebral injury (trauma). The Glasgow Coma Scale can also be used to quantify general disorders of consciousness. There are three categories, for each of which points are awarded:

• Eye opening (1-4 points)
• Best verbal reaction (1-5 points)
• Best motor response (1-6 points)

Assessment of the severity of a clouding of consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale

• Opening the eyes
  • Spontaneous: 4Points
  • On response: 3 points
  • On pain stimulus: 2 points
  • Missing: 1point
• Verbal reaction
  • Oriented: 5 points
  • Confused: 4 points
  • Single words: 3 points
  • Sounds: 2 points
  • Missing: 1 point
• Motor response
  • Follow-up to call 6 points
  • Targeted pain reaction: 5 points
  • Unspecific pain reaction: 4 points
  • Bending synergisms: 3 points
  • Spontaneous: 4 pointsSynergisms: 2 points
  • Missing: 1

Maximum score: 15; Minimum score: 3

Points are awarded separately for each category and then added together. The maximum score is 15 (when fully conscious), the minimum score is 3 (in deep coma). A score of 8 or less points indicates a serious brain dysfunction and the risk of life-threatening respiratory problems, so that securing the airway by endotracheal intubation must be considered.

The Glasgow Coma Scale can then be used to assess the degree of craniocerebral trauma (SHT):

• slight SHT - Score: 15-13
• moderate SHT - Score: 12-9
• heavy SHT - Score: GCS 8-3