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Visual hallucinations: a prevalence study among hospice inpatients.
1St. Johns Hospice in Wirral, Mount Road, Bebington, L63 6JE, UK.
Palliative Medicine
|February 24, 2001
Summary
Nearly half of hospice patients experience visual hallucinations, often linked to opioid use and other medications. Cognitive function did not differ significantly between those who hallucinated and those who did not.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Visual hallucinations are a common yet understudied symptom in hospice care.
- Understanding associated risk factors is crucial for patient management and comfort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of visual hallucinations in hospice inpatients.
- To identify potential risk factors associated with these hallucinations.
Main Methods:
- A semi-structured interview screened 100 hospice admissions for visual hallucinations.
- Data collected included medication use (opioids, hallucinogenic drugs), medical conditions (cancers, neurodegenerative diseases), and cognitive function (Folstein mini-mental state examination).
- Survival times were calculated, and data analyzed using means, confidence intervals, and odds ratios.
Main Results:
- 47% of patients experienced visual hallucinations in the preceding month, most commonly hypnagogic/hypnopompic.
- Hallucinations were associated with opioid administration (odds ratio 4.48) and a higher number of potentially hallucinogenic drugs.
- No significant difference in cognitive scores was found between hallucinators and non-hallucinators.
Conclusions:
- Visual hallucinations are highly prevalent in hospice inpatients.
- Opioid use and polypharmacy are associated risk factors, though the relationship is complex.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and optimize management of hallucinations in this population.