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The Comatose Patient

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Abstract

Impairment of consciousness and coma are important problems in neurocritical care. The ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) exerts the most influence on consciousness and any damage to this system, either directly or indirectly, impairs consciousness. Consciousness Is defined as the state of awareness of one’s self and the environment. Coma is the opposite of consciousness and is the total absence of awareness of one’s self and the environment, even when externally stimulated.

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© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Schmutzhard, E., Ropper, A.H., Hacke, W. (1994). The Comatose Patient. In: Hacke, W., Hanley, D.F., Einhäupl, K.M., Bleck, T.P., Diringer, M.N., Ropper, A.H. (eds) Neurocritical Care. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-87604-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-87602-8

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