A Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less indicates what?

A Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less indicates what?

• A. Mild brain injury with slight confusion.
• B. Severe brain injury, often requires airway protection and intensive care.
• C. Moderate brain injury with some responsiveness.
• D. Normal alertness.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the Glasgow Coma Scale measures level of consciousness after head injury, with scores ranging from 3 to 15 based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. A score of eight or less signals a coma and a severe brain injury because the patient shows markedly reduced responsiveness across these domains. Such a low level often means the airway may be compromised or the patient cannot protect it, making airway protection and often intensive care necessary. By contrast, higher scores indicate less impairment: mild injuries usually score higher than twelve, moderate injuries fall around nine to twelve, and a fully normal, alert state is a score of fifteen. So describing severe brain injury with airway protection and ICU needs best fits a Glasgow Coma Scale of eight or less.

The key idea is that the Glasgow Coma Scale measures level of consciousness after head injury, with scores ranging from 3 to 15 based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. A score of eight or less signals a coma and a severe brain injury because the patient shows markedly reduced responsiveness across these domains. Such a low level often means the airway may be compromised or the patient cannot protect it, making airway protection and often intensive care necessary. By contrast, higher scores indicate less impairment: mild injuries usually score higher than twelve, moderate injuries fall around nine to twelve, and a fully normal, alert state is a score of fifteen. So describing severe brain injury with airway protection and ICU needs best fits a Glasgow Coma Scale of eight or less.