Altered Level of Consciousness Discharge Information

What is altered level of consciousness?

Altered level of consciousness (ALOC) means that you are not as awake, alert, or able to understand or react as you are normally. Causes of ALOC include:

• A head injury
• Medicines
• Alcohol or drugs
• Dehydration
• Infection
• Fever
• Dangerously low body temperature (hypothermia)
• Diseases such as diabetes and thyroid disease

Different levels of ALOC include:

• Lethargic, which means you are drowsy and less aware or less interested in your surroundings
• Somnolent, which means you are sleeping unless someone or something wakes you up. You can usually talk and follow directions, but you may have trouble staying awake.
• Stupor, which means you are in a deep sleep unless something loud or painful wakes you up. You may not be able to talk or follow directions well, and you will fall back to sleep when left alone.
• Coma, which looks as if you are asleep, but you can’t be awakened at all
• Confusion, which means you are easily distracted and may be slow to respond. You may not know who or where you are or the time of day or year.
• Delirium, which means you have severe confusion and disorientation and may have delusions (belief in things that are not real) or hallucinations (sensing things that are not real). The degree of confusion may get better or worse over time.

How can I take care of myself when I go home?

How long it takes to get better depends on the cause of your ALOC, your treatment, how well you recover, your overall health, and any complications you may have. Discuss the cause of your ALOC with your healthcare provider, and follow his or her advice on how to prevent it from happening again.

Any of the following factors can increase the risk of ALOC:

• Diabetes
• Lung diseases or infections
• Illicit drug use
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol
• Activities that put you at risk of injuring your head
• Not drinking enough fluids

Management

• Your provider will give you a list of your medicines when you leave the hospital.
  • Know your medicines. Know what they look like, how much you should take each time, how often you should take them, and why you take each one.
  • Take your medicines exactly as your provider tells you to.
  • Carry a list of your medicines in your wallet or purse. Include any nonprescription medicines and supplements on the list.
  • Talk to your provider before you use any other medicines, including nonprescription medicines.
• Your provider may prescribe medicine to:
  • Treat or prevent an infection
  • Reduce swelling in and around the brain and spinal cord
  • Control your blood sugar
• Your provider may recommend other types of therapy to help relieve pain, other symptoms, or side effects of treatment.
• Drink enough fluids to keep your urine light yellow in color, unless you are told to limit fluids.
• If you are diabetic, consult a written diet plan and list of foods before you prepare snacks or meals. Ask your provider about the benefits of talking to a dietician about the best healthy diet for you.
• Take care of your health. Try to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Eat a healthy diet and try to keep a healthy weight. If you smoke, try to quit. If you want to drink alcohol, ask your healthcare provider how much is safe for you to drink. Learn ways to manage stress. Exercise according to your healthcare provider's instructions.

Appointments

• Follow your provider's instructions for follow-up appointments.
• Keep appointments for any testing you may need.

Talk with your provider about any questions or concerns you have.

Call emergency medical services or 911 if you have new or worsening:

• Seizures or convulsions
• Bleeding from your ears or nose
• Slurred speech
• Trouble with muscle movements, such as swallowing, moving arms and legs

Call your healthcare provider if you have new or worsening:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Change in vision, such as double vision, blurred vision, or trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• Restlessness or irritability
• Trouble staying awake or alert
• Vomiting
• Headache that will not go away after treatment
• Tiredness
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Loss of memory
• Confusion
• Unusual behavior

If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive yourself.