A coma is a state of ongoing unconsciousness brought on by extreme trauma or severe underlying conditions. Most experts agree it is extremely difficult to give a generalized answer for the prognosis of a coma, in part because of the wide variety of variables that affect prognosis -- but also because of the variable nature of the human brain.
The underlying cause is probably one of the most important factors. For example, a coma brought on by hyper- or hypoglycemia is, in most cases, reversible by returning blood sugar to a level within normal range. However, when a traumatic brain injury is at fault, the severity of the injury has a lot to do with whether or not someone will wake up from the coma or fall into a persistent vegetative state.
Additionally, even if someone in a comatose state does wake up, there is no guarantee they will be exactly the same as they were before. Serious brain damage can occur from such trauma, and, unfortunately, the brain is one of the parts of the body that does not regenerate. That being said, the brain is a marvelous thing, and no two cases are the same. Sometimes, against all odds, a patient will wake up and slowly return to a semblance of normalcy. This fact can make it difficult to make important decisions, such as when to remove life support in serious situations. Thus, it is crucial to remember that these instances are the exception -- not the rule.
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