Glasgow Coma Scale
Glasgow Coma Scale - a deterministic tool in Sophie Well's Clinical Scoring & Risk group.
Open the Glasgow Coma Scale → Runs in your browser. No signup, no tracking.
What this is
Score the Glasgow Coma Scale on its three components - eye opening (1-4), verbal response (1-5), and motor response (1-6) - and return the total (3-15) plus the conventional severity band (severe <=8, moderate 9-12, mild 13-15). Sophie Well reports each component separately because most modern trauma documentation expects the broken-out E/V/M, not just the sum. Source: Teasdale & Jennett, Lancet 1974.
When to use it
Use GCS for serial neuro checks after head injury, stroke, intoxication, or any altered mental status, and as one input into trauma triage and ICU prognostic scores. The GCS is a screening instrument, not a substitute for a focused neuro exam or imaging; a normal GCS does not rule out intracranial pathology, and a depressed GCS does not specify its cause.
References
Teasdale G, Jennett B. Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness. Lancet. 1974;2(7872):81-84.
Worked example: GCS 12
Sophie Well is a reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Does not replace clinician judgment, professional billing review, or legal counsel.