Screening and Management of Delirium in Critically Ill Patients

Delirium is highly prevalent in the critically ill population and has been associated with numerous negative outcomes including increased mortality. The presentation of a delirious patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) is characterized by a fluctuating cognitive status and inattention that varies dramatically among patients. Delirium can present in 3 different motoric subtypes: hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed. Two tools, the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist and Confusion Assessment ICU, are validated and recommended for the detection of delirium in critically ill patients. The identification of delirium in a critically ill patient should be facilitated using one of these tools. An intermediate form of delirium known as subsyndromal delirium also exists, although the significance of this syndrome is largely unknown. Another phenomenon known as sedation-related delirium has been recently described, although more research is needed to understand its significance. Patients in the ICU are exposed to many risk factors for developing delirium; controlling these risk factors is essential for preventing delirium development in critically ill patients. Nonpharmacologic interventions have been shown to prevent patients from developing delirium. Prevention is crucial because once delirium develops pharmacologic therapy is limited.