What is the term used to describe a state where a patient awakens only with difficulty?

The term "obtunded" refers to a state in which a patient has decreased alertness and requires significant stimulation to awaken. In this condition, the individual shows a blunted response to environmental stimuli, meaning they may not respond to verbal cues or physical touch as a fully alert person would. This distinguishes them from being fully awake, where a patient can respond readily without additional stimulation.

Obtundation suggests a level of altered consciousness, where the patient is not fully alert or aware but can still be aroused with effort. This state typically indicates an underlying issue that may need medical attention, such as a neurological impairment, intoxication, or metabolic disturbance.

The other terms do not capture this specific degree of decreased responsiveness. Comatose describes a state of complete unresponsiveness where the patient cannot be awakened at all. Stuporous refers to a condition where the patient can be aroused only briefly with vigorous stimuli but is not able to stay awake, indicating a more severe impairment than obtunded. Therefore, obtunded accurately describes the state of arousal difficulty without complete loss of consciousness.