Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

pvs

noun

/piː viː ˈɛs/

Definition

PVS is an acronym for Persistent Vegetative State, a condition of unconsciousness in which a person loses their higher brain functions but retains some basic responses.

Examples

The patient was diagnosed with PVS after a severe brain injury.
Families often struggle when a loved one is in PVS, as there may be little hope for recovery.
Doctors use various assessments to determine if a person is in a PVS.

Meaning

A state characterized by wakefulness without awareness. Individuals in a PVS may open their eyes and have sleep-wake cycles but show no signs of awareness or purposeful responses to the environment.