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Related Experiment Videos

Delirium in the hospitalized elderly

A D Sumner1, R J Simons

  • 1Department of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033.

Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
|July 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Delirium affects one-third of elderly hospitalized patients, increasing mortality and cognitive decline risk. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for better outcomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Delirium affects up to one-third of elderly hospitalized patients.
  • Most patients do not fully recover from delirium.
  • Delirium is associated with increased mortality and future cognitive decline.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical features of delirium in elderly hospitalized patients.
  • To discuss the etiology, diagnosis, and management of delirium in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical features, etiology, diagnosis, and management of delirium.
  • Emphasis on clinical presentation and diagnostic challenges.
  • Discussion of treatment strategies and preventative measures.

Main Results:

  • Delirium presents with diverse clinical features, necessitating suspicion in elderly patients with altered mental status.
  • Common causes include drug intoxication, withdrawal, intracranial disease, and systemic diseases.
  • Anticholinergic drugs are frequent culprits, but all medications should be reviewed.

Conclusions:

  • Physicians should suspect delirium in elderly patients with changes in mental status, personality, or behavior.
  • Bedside screening tools can aid in differentiating delirium from dementia and psychosis.
  • Systematic diagnosis and prompt treatment, including addressing causative factors and judicious medication use, can be life-saving.

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