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Hypochloremic coma - Symptoms
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
In most patients, coma develops gradually, most often after prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, and copious diuresis (depending on the underlying disease). In the pre-comatose state, severe weakness, dizziness, severe thirst, dry mouth, palpitations, muscle twitching, and often cramps in the calf muscles are disturbing.
Coma is characterized by the following signs:
- pointed facial features, sunken eyes, haggard face;
- pronounced dryness of the skin, decreased turgor and elasticity;
- dry tongue, mucous membrane of the oral cavity, dry cracked lips covered with brownish crusts;
- pupils are wide;
- muscle twitching, often convulsions (with hypocalcemia);
- decreased tendon reflexes;
- the pulse is frequent and small;
- blood pressure is significantly reduced;
- When examining the abdomen, gastric peristalsis can be seen (with pyloric stenosis), and when palpated, a splashing sound and a low location of the stomach border can be detected;
- In severe cases of coma, especially if treatment is not active enough or started late, acute renal failure may develop.
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