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    Decorticate posturing
2 decerebrate posturing (extension)  Decerebrate posturing  → more about decorticate and decerebrate posturing here
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)

You cannot copy content of this page

Send this to a friend
Hi,
you may find this topic useful:

Glasgow Coma Scale
link: https://www.stroke-manual.com/glasgow-coma-scale-gcs/