Introduction
In medicine, a cerebral hemorrhage in humans is an absolute emergency that is associated with life-threatening risks. The problem of a cerebral hemorrhage, however, does not primarily lie in the loss of blood. Since the brain is surrounded by our skull bone, the volume is limited.
If a hemorrhage occurs in the brain, this new space requirement cannot move in another direction and the brain is displaced. It is this displacement that now triggers the life-threatening consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage, as the brain can no longer perform its normal functions. Thus, cerebral hemorrhage is one of the umbrella term for strokes.
The damage that patients suffer after acute treatment of a cerebral hemorrhage depends on many factors. In addition to the time of treatment and the extent of the bleeding, these include above all the exact location of this bleeding. The consequential damages have a very broad spectrum ranging from no symptoms at all to severe mental and physical limitations.
Coma
A coma is one of the possible serious consequences of a major cerebral haemorrhage, since brain structures can be displaced and these can no longer perform their proper function. The term coma refers to a state in which patients are unconscious and cannot be awakened by external stimuli such as noise or pain. It is the most severe degree of unconsciousness in humans.
This state of consciousness is often accompanied by the loss of reflexes. To what extent the brain is still able to maintain basic bodily functions such as breathing depends on the exact degree of coma. It is not uncommon for patients with a massive cerebral hemorrhage to fall into a coma with no or delayed therapy. Depending on the degree of severity, life-supporting measures, such as ventilation, must now be carried out. Patients who are in a coma due to a massive cerebral hemorrhage tend to have a worse prognosis.
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