if self consciousness is a defining property of living organisms then what about the patients in COMA. can we consider them living??

Self consciousness is the defining property of life. Coma is a state of unconsciousness where a person cannot respond to the stimuli. But the person can breathe, so we cannot declare him/her dead. Unless the person loses his breathe. he is considered alive. Some coma patients need ventilator as they cannot breathe on their own and they need to be kept alive.