Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator

Calculate the Glasgow Coma Scale total from eye, verbal and motor responses.

About Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator

The minimum total is three rather than zero because each component starts at one. Reporting the components separately is standard practice because the same total can represent very different clinical pictures. The motor component carries most of the prognostic information, which is why a total alone is considered insufficient documentation.

Formula

Glasgow Coma Scale

GCS = eye (1 to 4) + verbal (1 to 5) + motor (1 to 6), giving 3 to 15

minimum score: Three, since each component starts at one
motor component: The most predictive of the three for outcome

Worked example

With the default values below, Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator returns Glasgow Coma Scale Total of 12. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Eye openingaccepts 1–4: 3
Verbal responseaccepts 1–5: 4
Motor responseaccepts 1–6: 5

Results

Glasgow Coma Scale Total: 12 /15
Severity Category: Moderate
Component Breakdown: E3 V4 M5
Lowest Scoring Component: Eye opening
Motor Component as a Share of the Total: 41.67%

Step by step

1Values used
2Glasgow Coma Scale
3Glasgow Coma Scale Total= 12 /15
4Severity Category= Moderate
5Component Breakdown= E3 V4 M5
6Lowest Scoring Component= Eye opening
7Motor Component as a Share of the Total= 41.67

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This reproduces a published formula for educational and reference use only. It is not a diagnostic tool, does not account for individual clinical context, and must not be used to make or change treatment decisions. Clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare professional is always required. Reduced consciousness is a medical emergency. If someone is drowsy, confused or unresponsive after a head injury or illness, call emergency services immediately. Scoring requires trained assessment of specific responses.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This reproduces a published formula for educational and reference use only. It is not a diagnostic tool, does not account for individual clinical context, and must not be used to make or change treatment decisions. Clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare professional is always required. Reduced consciousness is a medical emergency. If someone is drowsy, confused or unresponsive after a head injury or illness, call emergency services immediately. Scoring requires trained assessment of specific responses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Glasgow Coma Scale calculated?

GCS = eye (1 to 4) + verbal (1 to 5) + motor (1 to 6), giving 3 to 15 The minimum total is three rather than zero because each component starts at one. Reporting the components separately is standard practice because the same total can represent very different clinical pictures.

Why does Glasgow Coma Scale matter?

The motor component carries most of the prognostic information, which is why a total alone is considered insufficient documentation.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 3 inputs: Eye opening, Verbal response, Motor response. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.