Abstract

Mental Awareness Impairment in the Emergency Room. Arch. Med Int [online]. 2013, vol.35, n.3, pp.85-92. ISSN 0250-3816.

The altered state of consciousness is a neurological and / or neurosurgical emergency, which occurs frequently in the Emergency Department. The ability to establish a correct diagnosis and properly management of the patient with such a neurological impairment, requires the performance of a trained clinician, which will impact in a reduction in morbidity and mortality of these patients. This is a complex and life-threatening issue, which requires a rapid clinical diagnosis with the concomitant start of major physiological systems support and the implementation of specific diagnostic methods, designed to assess the possible etiology and specific treatment. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiological, clinical, therapeutic and prognostic issues of patients with acute disorders of consciousness, emphasizing practical aspects in order to perform an adequate initial management of these patients.

Keywords : Coma; Neurologic emergency; Encephalopaty; Acute brain dysfunction.

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