Words like lethargy, obtunded, and stupor all describe various degrees to which a patient’s arousal is impaired. However, these terms are imprecise. In a clinical setting, it is more useful to describe the patient’s responses to specific stimuli.

Epilepsy and various postconvulsive states can present as altered consciousness. Cerebrovascular disorders such as ischemic or embolic stroke, intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage are also common causes of stupor or coma. Infection (meningitis, cerebral abscess, or encephalitis) can be the culprit.

Jul 23, 2018 · Lethargic: very drowsy, falls asleep in between care; Obtunded: difficult to arouse; Stuporous: very difficult to arouse; Unresponsive/Coma: unarousable; Describing your patient’s LOC correctly is especially important when there are acute changes in condition.

Jun 27, 2024 · Levels of consciousness range from normal alertness and attention to gradations of altered states, including confusion, delirium, stupor, and coma. The same conditions may produce mild to severe states of altered LOC.

May 3, 2021 · Drowsy refers to feeling sleepily tired, while stupor describes a state of near-unconsciousness with reduced response to stimuli. Drowsiness is a state of feeling sleepy and lethargic, often leading to an eventual sleep if the condition persists or is not interrupted.

Apr 15, 2023 · Drowsiness refers to a state of decreased alertness and increased desire for sleep. Drowsy patients may feel tired, sleepy, and sluggish but are still responsive to stimuli. They may appear dozing off, but they can be easily awakened and maintain a conversation.

Jul 25, 2022 · *Somnolent patients show excessive drowsiness and respond to stimuli with incoherent mumbles or disorganized movements. *Obtunded patients have decreased interest in their surroundings, very slow responses, and excessive sleepiness. *Stuporous patients only respond by grimacing or withdrawing from painful stimuli.

Confusion is a lack of clarity in thinking with inattentiveness; delirium is used to describe an acute confusional state; stupor, a state in which vigorous stimuli are needed to elicit a response; coma, a condition of unresponsiveness. Pts in such states are usually seriously ill, and etiologic factors must be assessed (Tables 16-1 and 16-2).

Stupor is unresponsiveness from which a person can be aroused only by vigorous, physical stimulation. Coma is unresponsiveness from which a person cannot be aroused and in which the person's eyes remain closed, even when the person is stimulated.

Feb 4, 2024 · Stupor refers to a state of extreme drowsiness or reduced responsiveness, where an individual may only respond to strong stimuli, such as pain. On the other hand, coma is a much deeper state of unconsciousness, where the person is …