Health knowledge made personal
A "coma" refers to a period after injury in which the person is unconscious - i.e., they are not awake or responsive; eyes are closed all the time - there is no sleep-wake cycle; there is only reflexive movement, no voluntary movements (e.g., moving to be more comfortable); there is no language used or understood.
So usually a coma would be defined as a period during which these conditions are true and are able to be determined. It would be unusual, for example, to consider soneone "comatose" if they hadn't had the chance to establish a sleep-wake cycle, but if they meet all the other requirements (e.g., not responding to pain or other environmental stimulation; not using language; not moving "on purpose", then they may be considered in a state like that a coma.
Does that help? (We need dates on these questions! ;-)
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Posted by j.alonso008
what is the shortest amount of time a coma could last?