Delirium
Delirium is an abrupt change in the brain that causes mental confusion and emotional disruption. It makes it difficult to think, remember, sleep, pay attention, and more. You might experience delirium during alcohol withdrawal, after surgery, or with dementia.
Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: W052
Diagnosis: Delerium
US Patients: 1-2%, more with age
World Patients:
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset: most after 65
Brain Area: imbalance in dopamine and serotonin
Symptoms: confusion for hours or days, disorientation, disorganized thinking, uncontrolled muscles
Progression:
Causes: drug withdrawal, too much alcohol, prior dementia, sepsis-illness
Medications: haliperidol and other antipsychotics; 60% death rate in hospitalized elders with delerium, increases dementia X13.
Therapies: Maximize oxygen, hydration, feeding, pain control, control of other factors affecting the brain
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- Complications of critical COVID-19: Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for the mechanically ventilated patientby David M Maslove on October 16, 2021
Patients admitted to the intensive care unit with critical COVID-19 often require prolonged periods of mechanical ventilation. Difficulty weaning, lack of progress, and clinical deterioration are commonly encountered. These conditions should prompt a thorough evaluation for persistent or untreated manifestations of COVID-19, as well as complications from COVID-19 and its various treatments. Inflammation may persist and lead to fibroproliferative changes in the lungs. Infectious complications may...
- Streptococcus oralis endocarditis leading to central nervous system infection in pregnancyby S Wydall on October 15, 2021
This report describes a challenging obstetric case in which septic emboli from Streptococcus oralis endocarditis subsequently led to central nervous system infection. There were delays in diagnosis as the patient presented with non-specific symptoms of fever, diarrhoea and vomiting, initially suspected to be due to viral gastroenteritis and later SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antibiotics were commenced once gram positive cocci were isolated from a blood culture. The patient made no significant...
- Adverse effects of subcutaneous vs intravenous hydration in older adults: An assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT)by Mathias Brix Danielsen on October 15, 2021
CONCLUSION: SC is a safe alternative to IV hydration, is faster to place and should be an available method for parenteral hydration wherever older adults are cared for.
- Knowledge, barriers, and training needs of nurses working in delirium careby Gyeongseon Lee on October 15, 2021
CONCLUSIONS: The highest training priority for delirium care was different between ICU and ward nurses. To enhance the delirium care competency of hospital nurses, the nurse educator should develop training programs that target knowledge deficits, perceived barriers, and training priorities.