Glasgow Coma Score1
The Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) is a commonly used method to quickly triage the severity of a head
injury. The simplicity of this scale masks its accuracy in predicting the outcome of a head
injury, explaining why the scale is widely used by Emergency Medical Services, Emergency
Departments and Intensive Care units.
The score is simple, as a quick assessment of eye opening, verbal response and motor response are
documented, then the sum of the three responses determine the Head Injury Classification.
Eye Opening Response:
- Spontaneous (open with baseline blinking) 4 points
- To verbal stimuli (command or speech) 3 points
- To pain only 2 points
- No response 0 points
Verbal Response
- Oriented 5 points
- Confused conversation, attempts to answer questions 4 points
- Inappropriate words 3 points
- Incomprehensible Speech 2 points
- No response 1 point
Motor Response
- Obeys commands for movement 6 points
- Purposeful movement to pain 5 points
- Withdraws in response to pain 4 points
- Flexion in response to pain (decorticate) 3 points
- Extension response (decerebrate) 2 points
- No response 1 point
Add up the numbers from each section above (maximum of one per category. The total gives the
classification: Severe Head Injury—– GCS of 8 or less
Moderate Head Injury—- GCS of 9-12
Mild Head Injury — GCS score of 13-15
¹https://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/resources/gcs.pdf
