Table 1 Differential diagnosis of unresponsiveness [3]
From: Case report: “an unexpected origin of coma in a young adult”
Primary CNS disease or trauma | Causes affecting the brain diffusely |
|---|---|
o Direct CNS trauma - Diffuse axonal injury - Subdural hematoma - Epidural hematoma o Vascular disease - Intraparenchymal hemorrhage - Ischemic stroke o CNS infections o Neoplasms o Seizures - Nonconvulsive status epilepticus - Postictal state | o Encephalopathies - Hypoxic encephalopathy - Metabolic encephalopathy - Hypertensive encephalopathy o Hypoglycemia o Hyperosmolar state (e.g., hyperglycemia) o Electrolyte abnormalities (e.g., hypernatremia, hypercalcemia) o Organ system failure - Hepatic encephalopathy - Uremia/renal failure o Endocrine (e.g., Addison’s disease and hypothyroidism) o Hypoxia o Carbon dioxide narcosis o Toxins o Drug reactions (e.g., neuroleptic malignant syndrome) o Environmental causes – hypothermia, hyperthermia o Deficiency state – Wernicke’s encephalopathy o Sepsis |