Life Expectancy of Coma Patient on A Ventilator

Coma is generally mixed with deep sleep while in reality Coma is a condition of prolonged state of unconsciousness. The coma patient is alive, and his brain is functional as well but at too low level to respond to his surroundings. Being unable to wake up coma patients need special care and are generally accepted to ICU for due care.

Healthcare professionals are responsible for providing such patients with essential nutrition and medication to encourage the process of recovery. Coma patients thus generally need a feeding tube and in some cases ventilation support if unable to breathe normally.

The question is how long a coma patient can survive and its answer is quite complex and unpredictable. Coma state has different causes as its roots and the underlying cause of the problem is significant to calculate the survival rate of the patient. Some patients recover only with a little care and treatment while others take longer to wake up and, in some cases, fail to recover.

This article will shed some light on basic factors influencing the life expectancy of coma patients on ventilators.

Underlying Cause of Ventilated Coma

It is important to consider the cause of coma before calculating the life expectancy of the patient. There could be numerous reasons behind coma, from drug overdose and infections to serious brain and lungs injury. Patients are more likely to revert to normal condition after few hours or days if coma is caused due to some normal reason like drug overdose during any surgery or as an effect of post-surgery trauma.

While condition is worse and unpredictable if coma is caused due to severe brain injury or other severe medical conditions like COVID. In such cases the state of unconsciousness may prolong for an extended and unpredictable time and in some cases ends with the life of the patient.

Duration of Being Unconscious While on Ventilator

Life expectancy of a coma patient also depends on the time period he remains in the state of coma for. It is generally observed that being in a state of unconsciousness for longer time especially on ventilators makes it more challenging and harder for patients to recover. The patients are exposed to certain health complications including organ failure and infections if exposed to ventilators for a prolonged time which in turn reduces the life expectancy of coma patients.

Age and Health of the Ventilated Coma Patient Determines Survival Rate

Age is the determinant that can never be ignored when it comes to the recovery from not only coma but also other diseases. It is seen that patients of age above 40 are generally at higher risk of losing their life during coma or meeting any disability if recover successfully. While younger patients, if healthy before going to coma, show great inclination towards recovery.

Same goes with the health of the patient prior to being hit unconsciousness. If the coma patient has no prior medical history such as heart and lungs dysfunction or neurological health issues, then he is more likely to recover soon if receives due care from professionals. On the contrary, the life expectancy of the patient having an alarming medical history is lower.

Quality of Care Provided And Life Expectancy of Coma Ventilated Patient

Coma patients are unable to respond to certain internal and external stimuli like pain, voices, hunger and even breathing. Such patients need specialized care by professionals and family members to fulfill their physical and emotional needs. They are provided with food and medication by caregivers, either healthcare professionals or any family member, through feeding tube. Also, their oral and body hygiene is considered as top priority as it may lead to infections and bed sores respectively causing further damage to the health of the patient. The level of care, especially emotional support, provided to coma patients increases their chances of survival.

Conclusion

The life expectancy of ventilator dependent coma patients is somehow variable and relies on certain factors. It is a team effort of health care professionals, physiotherapists and most importantly family members. The advancement in medical field though has improved the life expectancy rate of the coma patients but still it is uncertain to predict the future of these patients. However, emotional support from family and proper medical care can play a crucial role in recovery of coma patients on ventilator and improve life expectancy rate of such patients.

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