According to Glasgow Coma Scale, at what score should intubation be considered?

• A. If GCS is less than 9
• B. If GCS is equal to 15
• C. If GCS is greater than 12
• D. If GCS is less than 8

Answer: (D)

Low Glasgow Coma Scale scores mean the patient is less able to protect their airway. The GCS sums eye opening, verbal response, and motor response to rank consciousness from 3 (deep coma) to 15 (fully awake). When consciousness is severely depressed, the safest approach is to secure the airway with intubation because protective airway reflexes are often lost.

Intubation is commonly considered when the GCS is 8 or below, because at this level patients typically cannot protect their airway. Among the given options, the choice describing a threshold of less than 8 best reflects this idea: scores of 7 or lower indicate a high risk of airway compromise and the need for securing the airway. (In clinical practice you’ll also see the guideline stated as ≤8.) The other options point to either normal function (15), mild impairment (greater than 12), or a threshold that includes 8 (less than 9), which is not as precise for the intended airway protection decision in this question.