ADDONS / SCALES
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
Created 28/09/2022, last revision 20/09/2023
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluates impairment of consciousness based on response to defined stimuli; it is used in acute medical and trauma patients
- observe eye-opening, motor, and verbal responses, taking into account interfering factors.
- stimulation used:
- sound: spoken or shouted request
- physical: pressure applied to the fingertip, trapezius, or supraorbital notch
- score the highest response observed
- the GCS has been incorporated into numerous clinical guidelines and scoring systems
- normal GCS: GCS 10 / E3V4M3
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS 3-15) | |
Eye-opening |
|
4 | spontaneous |
3 | to sound (after spoken or shouted request) |
2 | to pressure (after fingertip stimulus) |
1 | none (no opening; no interfering factor) |
Motor response | |
6 | obeys commands (obeys 2-part request) |
5 | localizing pain (brings hand above clavicle to stimulus on head/neck) |
4 | normal flexion (escape from pain) – rapid, arms away from the body |
3 | decorticate posturing (abnormal flexion) – arms across chest, forearms rotate, legs extend ![]() |
2 | decerebrate posturing (extension) ![]() |
1 | none (no movement in arms/legs, no interfering factor) |
Verbal response | |
5 | oriented (correctly gives name, place, and date) |
4 | confused (not orientated but communicating coherently) |
3 | words (single intelligible words) |
2 | sounds (moans/groans only) |
1 | none (no audible response, no interfering factor) |