Serious Symptoms Of Pituitary Apoplexy

Decreased Consciousness

Decreased consciousness may develop as acute pituitary apoplexy reaches advanced stages. As consciousness decreases, patients may become confused, and they might have weakness in the face, arms, and legs. A rapid pulse and an irregular heartbeat could occur, and patients might have trouble with balance, which could result in falling. Seizures have been reported, and patients might also lose control of their bladder or bowels. Individuals with reduced levels of consciousness may be very drowsy or difficult to wake, and they could eventually slip into a coma. Doctors can evaluate a person's level of consciousness using the Glasgow coma scale. The scale assesses eye movement, verbal response, and motor response. Decreased consciousness requires emergency medical care, and patients might need breathing support or other measures. Doctors will perform brain scans to determine the cause of the patient's altered consciousness, and urgent surgery will likely be performed to reduce pressure in the brain that could be causing the patient's symptoms. Patients normally regain consciousness after the pressure has been normalized.