# Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator

> Sums the Glasgow Coma Scale eye (1–4), verbal (1–5) and motor (1–6) responses into the 3–15 total, writes it in E/V/M notation and assigns the conventional head-injury severity band (13–15 mild, 9–12 moderate, 3–8 severe).

- Calculator id: `glasgow-coma-scale` · Category: Medical & Clinical (`medical`) · Tool name: `calculate_glasgow_coma_scale`
- Canonical page: https://tttkmbb.com/medical/glasgow-coma-scale · This document: https://tttkmbb.com/medical/glasgow-coma-scale.md · JSON definition: https://tttkmbb.com/medical/glasgow-coma-scale.json

## Purpose

Sums the Glasgow Coma Scale eye (1–4), verbal (1–5) and motor (1–6) responses into the 3–15 total, writes it in E/V/M notation and assigns the conventional head-injury severity band (13–15 mild, 9–12 moderate, 3–8 severe).

**Use when:** You have the three observed best responses of a patient and need the GCS total, its E V M breakdown or the severity band used in trauma and neurosurgical communication.

**Do not use when:** A component cannot be tested (intubation, swollen eyes, sedation): report the testable components individually with NT rather than a total; infants need a paediatric scale. Results are informational and not medical advice.

## Input

| Parameter | Type | Unit | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `eye_response` | enum: none \| to_pressure \| to_sound \| spontaneous |  | required | Best eye response: none = 1, to_pressure = 2, to_sound = 3, spontaneous = 4. |
| `verbal_response` | enum: none \| sounds \| words \| confused \| orientated |  | required | Best verbal response: none = 1, sounds = 2, words = 3, confused = 4, orientated = 5. |
| `motor_response` | enum: none \| extension \| abnormal_flexion \| normal_flexion \| localising \| obeys_commands |  | required | Best motor response: none = 1, extension = 2, abnormal_flexion = 3, normal_flexion = 4, localising = 5, obeys_commands = 6. |

## Output

| Field | Type | Unit | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `gcs_total` | integer |  | E + V + M, 3–15. |
| `gcs_text` | string |  | Component notation, e.g. E4V5M6 = 15. |
| `severity` | string |  | Mild 13–15, moderate 9–12, severe 3–8 (traumatic brain injury convention). |
| `component_scores` | object |  | Eye, verbal and motor scores. |

## Formula

`gcs_total = eye_response (1–4) + verbal_response (1–5) + motor_response (1–6); severity: 13–15 mild, 9–12 moderate, 3–8 severe`

Teasdale and Jennett's scale (1974) in its 15-point form (motor 1–6, 1976) with the 2014 revised response terminology from glasgowcomascale.org; the total is a communication shorthand and the three components, especially the motor score, carry more information than the sum. Results are informational only and not a substitute for clinical judgement or medical advice.

## Data Sources

- Teasdale G, Jennett B (1974) Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness: a practical scale, Lancet 2:81-84 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4136544/ (peer_reviewed, retrieved 2026-09-24)
- glasgowcomascale.org – The Glasgow structured approach to assessment of the Glasgow Coma Scale (Teasdale 2014 terminology) — https://www.glasgowcomascale.org/ (reference, retrieved 2026-09-24)

Data freshness: `static`. Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output.

## API

- `GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/glasgow-coma-scale?eye_response=…&verbal_response=…&motor_response=…`
- `POST https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/glasgow-coma-scale` with JSON body `{"inputs": {…}}`
- Response: unified envelope (`success`, `request`, `result.values`, `result.units`, `sources`, `freshness`, `timestamp`, `next_actions`, `links`); see https://tttkmbb.com/docs/response-format.md
- Schema: https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/glasgow-coma-scale · OpenAPI operationId `calculate_glasgow_coma_scale` in https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json
- Authentication: none. Rate limit: fair use, see https://tttkmbb.com/docs/rate-limits.md.

## MCP

- Server: `https://tttkmbb.com/mcp` (Streamable HTTP, JSON-RPC 2.0, no auth)
- Tool:  `run_calculator` with `{"calculator_id": "glasgow-coma-scale", "inputs": {…}}`

## Example

- Spontaneous eye opening, orientated, obeys commands: inputs `{"eye_response":"spontaneous","verbal_response":"orientated","motor_response":"obeys_commands"}` → `{"gcs_total":15,"gcs_text":"E4V5M6 = 15","severity":"Mild (13–15)","component_scores":{"eye":4,"verbal":5,"motor":6}}`
- Eyes open to pressure, sounds only, normal flexion: inputs `{"eye_response":"to_pressure","verbal_response":"sounds","motor_response":"normal_flexion"}` → `{"gcs_total":8,"gcs_text":"E2V2M4 = 8","severity":"Severe (3–8)"}`

```
GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/glasgow-coma-scale?eye_response=spontaneous&verbal_response=orientated&motor_response=obeys_commands
```

## Limitations

A component cannot be tested (intubation, swollen eyes, sedation): report the testable components individually with NT rather than a total; infants need a paediatric scale. Results are informational and not medical advice. Teasdale and Jennett's scale (1974) in its 15-point form (motor 1–6, 1976) with the 2014 revised response terminology from glasgowcomascale.org; the total is a communication shorthand and the three components, especially the motor score, carry more information than the sum. Results are informational only and not a substitute for clinical judgement or medical advice. All values are computed from the formula above; no measurement or live data is involved.

## FAQ

**Why is GCS 8 a threshold?**

A total of 8 or less is the conventional definition of coma and severe brain injury and a common prompt to consider airway protection; it is a guide, not a rule, and the trend matters more than one value.

**How are untestable components recorded?**

As NT for that component (for example E4 VT M6 in an intubated patient) without a total; scores must not be guessed. This calculator requires all three components.

**What changed in the 2014 terminology?**

Wording only: 'to pressure' replaced 'to pain', 'sounds' and 'words' replaced 'incomprehensible' and 'inappropriate', and 'normal/abnormal flexion' replaced 'withdrawal/decorticate'; the points are unchanged.

## Related

- [Apgar Score Calculator](https://tttkmbb.com/medical/apgar-score.md) — Component-based newborn score.
- [MELD Score Calculator](https://tttkmbb.com/medical/meld-score.md) — Another clinical severity score.