The comatose patient

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Any physician may be called upon to treat a comatose patient Although the causes of coma range from benign to life-threatening, prompt treatment is imperative. The comatose patient presents special problems for the attending physician because the patient cannot provide a verbal history. How does the physician obtain the history? What initial therapeutic steps should be taken? Which laboratory tests are appropriate? The authors answer these and other questions as they present a logical, systematic approach to diagnosis and treatment that can be applied to all comatose patients.