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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness that can be caused by a wide variety of problems — traumatic head injury, stroke, brain tumor, or even an underlying illness, such as diabetes or an infection.
A coma is a medical emergency. Swift action is needed to preserve life and brain function. Doctors typically order a battery of blood tests and brain scans to try to determine what's causing the coma so that proper treatment can begin.
Comas seldom last longer than a few weeks. People who are unconscious for longer than that are usually reclassified as being in a persistent vegetative state. People who are in a persistent vegetative state for more than a year are extremely unlikely to awaken.
