What is the purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?

The purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is to assess and quantify a patient's level of consciousness, which is crucial in evaluating the severity of a brain injury or assessing a patient's neurological status. The GCS uses three specific criteria—eye opening, verbal response, and motor response—to generate a total score that reflects the patient's level of responsiveness. This makes it an essential tool in emergency medicine and pre-hospital care, allowing paramedics and healthcare providers to quickly assess the neurological condition of patients and determine the urgency of intervention required.

The other options focus on different physiological measurements, such as blood pressure, body temperature, and respiratory function, which are vital for a comprehensive patient assessment but fall outside the scope of what the GCS specifically measures.