PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 1603727

Update on delirium.

Z J Lipowski
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Delirium is a common syndrome in hospitalized medical and surgical patients and in those seen in emergency departments. It is particularly common in the demented elderly patients. To prevent it, for example by avoiding polypharmacy in the elderly, is important. It is most important to diagnose delirium early and to search for its cause without delay as this may be life-saving in some patients and may help avoid injury in others. This syndrome, long neglected by investigators, calls for vigorous research to establish its epidemiology, pathogenesis, and long-term outcome.

Explore related subjects

DeliriumDiagnosis, DifferentialElectroencephalographyFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleNeurocognitive DisordersPrevalenceTerminology as TopicJournal ArticleReview

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Z J Lipowski. 1992. Update on delirium.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1603727/

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2006

Incidence, risk factors and consequences of ICU delirium.

OBJECTIVE: Delirium in the critically ill is reported in 11-80% of patients. We estimated the incidence of delirium using a validated scale in a large cohort of ICU patients and determined the associated risk factors and outcomes. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective study in a 16-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS: 820 consecutive patients admitted to ICU for more than 24 h. INTERVENTIONS: Tools used were: the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist for delirium, Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale for sedation, and Numerical Rating Scale for pain. Risk factors were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analysis, and factors influencing mortality were determined using Cox regression. RESULTS: Delirium occurred in 31.8% of 764 patients. Risk of delirium was independently associated with a history of hypertension (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.3-2.6), alcoholism (2.03, 1.2-3.2), and severity of illness (1.25, 1.03-1.07 per 5-point increment in APACHE II score) but not with age or corticosteroid use. Sedatives and analgesics increased the risk of delirium when used to induce coma (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.5-6.8), and not otherwise. Delirium was linked to longer ICU stay (11.5+/-11.5 vs. 4.4+/-3.9 days), longer hospital stay (18.2+/-15.7 vs. 13.2+/-19.4 days), higher ICU mortality (19.7% vs. 10.3%), and higher hospital mortality (26.7% vs. 21.4%). CONCLUSION: Delirium is associated with a history of hypertension and alcoholism, higher APACHE II score, and with clinical effects of sedative and analgesic drugs.

Delirium↗