Obtund

Obtunded refers to a patient that has less than full mental capacity, typically as a result of a medical condition or trauma. The root word, obtund, means dulled or less sharp.

When a medic first assesses a patient, she/he is checking to see if the person is "A&O times 3", which means they are alert and oriented, and knows who he is, where he is located, the current time. If the patient has any difficulty answering these questions, the medic may say he is obtunded or "A&O times 2" and so on.