Induced coma is a deep sedation that is done to help recover a patient who is very severe, such as stroke, stroke, heart attack or lung disease, such as severe pneumonia, for example.
This type of sedation is made by medications, such as those used in general anesthesia, so the person can wake up after hours or days, when the patient is recovering or the doctor thinks it is advisable. In this way, the induced coma is different from the coma caused by diseases, as this is not predictable and does not depend on the doctor's control.
Induced coma is generally performed in the ICU environment, as it is necessary to use breathing apparatus as well as extensive monitoring of all vital patient data in order to avoid complications such as respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, or reaction to the effect of drugs, for example.
When it's necessary
Induced coma is a type of deep sleep caused by sedatives, may be necessary when the patient has a very serious or delicate health condition, such as:
- Cranial trauma caused by accidents or falls. Check out what are the consequences of head trauma to the organism;
- An epileptic seizure that does not improve with medication;
- Severe heart disease due to infarction, heart failure or arrhythmias, for example. Understand what can cause heart failure and how to treat it;
- Severe lung insufficiency, caused by pneumonia, emphysema or cancer, for example;
- Severe neurological disease, such as a major stroke, meningitis, or brain tumor. Learn how stroke treatment is done to prevent sequelae;
- After complicated surgery such as brain surgery, cardiac surgery or after some serious accident;
- Pain that does not improve with medications, such as in major burns or advanced cancer;
- In cases of intense agitation or to decrease unpleasant memories.
In these cases, the coma is induced so that the brain and body are more likely to recover, since the body will save energy because it is not active, and the person will not feel any pain or discomfort because of the serious condition.
In cases of severe lung diseases, such as pneumonia, sedation will also facilitate collaboration with the respirator, allowing better oxygenation of the organism that was damaged by the disease. Learn more about treatments that help oxygenate the body in respiratory failure.
How it's done and how long it lasts
Induced coma is caused by sedative drugs such as Midazolam or Propofol, administered in controlled doses and injected into the vein, usually in the ICU, lasting for hours, days, or weeks until it is discontinued due to an improvement in the patient's clinical condition or for the physician to perform clinical evaluations.
The time to wake up also varies according to the metabolization of the medicine by the person's body. In addition, patient recovery depends on each case, so whether the person will survive or have sequelae will depend on the type of illness, severity and health conditions of the person, influenced by such issues as age, nutritional conditions, use and severity of the disease.
Can the person in an induced coma be able to listen?
When in deep coma, the person is not conscious and therefore does not feel, does not move and does not listen, for example. However, there are several levels of sedation, depending on the dose of the drug, so when sedation is mild it is possible to hear, move or interact as if you are drowsy.
Possible risks of induced coma
As sedation is performed by anesthetic drugs, similar to that used in general anesthesia, and some complications can occur, such as:
- Allergy to the active principle of medication;
- Reduced heart rate;
- Respiratory failure.
These complications are avoided by continuous monitoring of vital patient data and constant evaluation by the ICU physician. In addition, the health status of a patient requiring induced coma is usually severe, and the risk of sedation is less than the risk of the disease itself.
Learn more about how general anesthesia works and what the risks are.
