[Delirium Update: Risk Factors, Management, and Biomarkers]

A delirium can be encountered in almost all hospital sectors. The prevalence varies between 20 and 40 % in internal medicine and surgical wards and between 50 and 60 % in palliative care and intensive care units. A delirium is characterized by impaired attention, consciousness, and cognitive impairment with acute onset and fluctuating course. People with delirium have inferior clinical outcomes, including higher mortality and more need for long-term care after discharge. This article first reviews the clinical and pathophysiologic basis of delirium, followed by a detailed description of individual risk profiles based on a prospective, hospital-wide cohort study (Delir-Path) conducted at the University Hospital Zurich. We will then give a brief update on diagnosis and management of delirium and an outlook on how neurophysiology and blood biomarkers can complement delirium care in the future.