a medically induced coma is when a patient receives a controlled dose of an anesthetic typically propofol pentobarbital or thiopental to cause a temporary coma or a deep state of unconsciousness. this type of coma is used to protect the brain from swelling by reducing the metabolic rate of brain tissue as well as the cerebral blood flow. throughout a medically induced coma a patient’s critical life functions are constantly monitored by an anesthesiologist or other physician in a critical care setting only.
why would a doctor induce a coma in a stage four lung cancer patient. my sister in law was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer while being treated for breast cancer went to the hospital with respitory problems and was put on oxygen although it seemed she was getting better the doctors then informed the family she needed to be put into an induced coma and injected with some medicine after putting her into the coma the next day she was given the medicine in which immediatetly put her into cardiac arrest and she died. all this happened within a 3 week time frame