Coma

:For other meanings of the word "coma", especially in astronomy, see coma (disambiguation)

In layman's terms

A coma is a profound state of unconsciousness. Patients are alive but are unable to fully move or respond to their environment, if at all. There are several levels of coma and patients may, or may not, progress through them. The responsiveness of the brain lessens as the coma deepens and when it becomes more profound, normal body reflexes are lost and the patient no longer responds to pain. The chances of recovery depend on the severity of the underlying cause. It is unclear whether a deeper coma alone necessarily means a slimmer chance of recovery because some people in deep coma recover well while others in a so-called milder coma sometimes fail to improve.

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