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Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator

The Glasgow Coma Scale scores consciousness from three responses — eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. The total runs from 3 (no response in any component) to 15 (fully alert). It is used in trauma, neurology, and critical care to describe and track the level of consciousness in a shared language.

Formula: GCS = eye (1–4) + verbal (1–5) + motor (1–6). Always record the components, not just the total — for example "GCS 13 (E3 V4 M6)".

Enter the values or tick the options above — the result updates automatically.

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How to interpret the result

Total GCSCommon grouping (trauma teaching)
13–15Mild
9–12Moderate
3–8Severe

The total can hide important differences: a patient scoring E2 V2 M4 (total 8) is not the same as E1 V1 M6. Quote the components, and re-score over time — the trend is often more informative than any single value.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the lowest possible GCS?

Three. Each of the three components scores a minimum of 1, so the scale runs from 3 to 15 — a GCS of 0 does not exist.

What does "GCS 8" mean in trauma teaching?

A total of 8 or below is the classic definition of coma used in trauma teaching and a common prompt to consider definitive airway management, because protective reflexes may be absent.

How is GCS recorded in an intubated patient?

The verbal component cannot be tested, so it is often recorded with a "t" — for example GCS 10t — and the eye and motor scores are given as usual.

Educational use only. This calculator is an aid to learning and does not replace clinical judgment, local reference ranges, or specialist advice. Always interpret a result alongside the patient, the full laboratory picture, and your laboratory's own reference ranges.