Question

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is an assessment of :

• A. \( \text{conscious level of patient} \)
• B. \( \text{severity of acute appendicitis} \)
• C. \( \text{schizophrenia patient} \)
• D. \( \text{pupillary response to light stimulus} \)

Hint:

\textbf{Neurology: Glasgow Coma Scale.} Remember that the GCS assesses the level of consciousness based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. It is a fundamental tool in the initial assessment and ongoing monitoring of patients with potential neurological compromise.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a neurological scale used to assess the conscious level of a patient. It evaluates three components of a patient's response: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. Each response is scored, and the sum of these scores provides an overall GCS score, which ranges from 3 (deep coma or death) to 15 (fully awake). The GCS is widely used in medical and trauma settings to assess the severity of brain injury and to monitor changes in a patient's level of consciousness over time. Let's briefly look at why the other options are incorrect: (2) severity of acute appendicitis: The severity of acute appendicitis is typically assessed using clinical findings, laboratory tests (like white blood cell count), and imaging studies (like ultrasound or CT scan), not the Glasgow Coma Scale. (3) schizophrenia patient: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder, and its assessment involves evaluating mental status, including thought processes, perception, mood, and behavior, using specific psychiatric rating scales and clinical interviews, not the Glasgow Coma Scale. (4) pupillary response to light stimulus: Pupillary response to light is one component of a neurological examination and can provide information about brainstem function, but it is not the sole assessment measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale. The GCS includes eye opening (which can be in response to stimuli other than light), verbal response, and motor response in addition to neurological signs like pupillary reflexes. Therefore, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is an assessment of the conscious level of a patient.