system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Eli5 How does inducing a coma help save a life but if someone is dying you sometimes try to keep them awake?
gpt
Different methods for different situations. For instance, you want to keep someone focused and awake on you if you're trying to prevent them from going into shock, falling asleep while in the stages of hypothermia, that kind of thing.


Medically induced comas are largely used when dealing with brain issues. Perhaps a major artery was damaged and you need to induce a coma so you can actually operate on it. Maybe you want brain activity and blood flow very low so the brain can be less active, and perhaps recover from swelling or simply buy more time.