How is coma measured?
Depth of the coma is usually measured in the emergency and intensive care settings using a Glascow coma scale. The scale (from 3 to 15) assesses eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. A high score indicates a greater amount of consciousness and awareness. In rehabilitation settings, another measurement scale is often used to indicate a patient’s level of response and ability to function. It is called a Rancho scale and is named for the rehabilitation hospital where it was created, Rancho Los Amigos, in California. Rancho scales are based on how the patient reacts to external stimuli and the environment. The scales consist of eight different levels and each patient will progress through the levels with starts and stops, progress and plateaus.
