Transcript Delirium
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Delirium Definition
• Acute onset of fluctuating cognitive
impairment and disturbance of
consciousness.
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DSM IV Criteria
Disturbance of consciousness with reduced ability to focus,
sustain or shift attention.
A change in cognition or development of perceptual
disturbances that is not better accounted for a preexisting,
existed or evolving dementia.
The disturbance develops over a short period of time and
tends to fluctuate during the course of the day
There is evidence from this history,physical examination or
labs that the disturbance is caused by the physiological
consequence of a medical condition, substance
intoxication, substance withdrawal, or multiple etiologies.
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Clinical characteristics
• Altered consciousness: such as decreased level
of coconsciousness.
• Altered attention: diminished ability to focus,
sustain, or shift attention.
• Disorientation: especially to time & place.
• Decreased memory.
• Rapid onset.
• Brief duration: usually days to weeks.
• fluctuations
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Clinical characteristics
• Sometimes worse at night (sun downing)
• Disorganization of thoughts.
• Perceptual disturbances: such as illusion and
hallucinations.
• Disruption of sleep-wake cycle: fragmented
sleep at night, with or without daytime
drowsiness.
• Mood alterations: irritability, dysphoria, anxiety,
euphoria.
• Altered neurological function: as autonomic
hyperactivity or instability.
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Types of delirium
• Hypoactive
confusion, somnolence, alertness
• Hyperactive
agitation, hallucinations, aggression
• Mixed (>60%)
features of both
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Epidemiology
• approximately 0.4% of people > 17y.
• approximately 1.1% of people > 55y.
• approximately 10-30% of hospitalized patients
• approximately 40-50% of patients recovering
from hip fracture surgery.
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Etiology
• It is usually multifactorial
A. General medical condition
B. Substance related
C. Presence of risk factors
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Etiology:
Medical condition
• CNS pathology: tumors, trauma, strokes,
seizures
• Infections
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Endocrine dysfunctions (hypo or hyper)
• Liver failure hepatic encephalopathy
• Renal failure uremic encephalopathy
• Pulmonary disease with hypoxemia
• Cardiovascular disease: CHF, arrhythmias, MI
• Deficiency states: Thiamine, nicotinic or folic
acid, B12
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Etiology: Substance-related
Intoxication
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Alcohol
Hallucinogens
Opioids
Marjuana
Stimulants
sedatives
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Etiology: Substance-related
Withdrawal
– Alcohol
– Benzodiazepines
– barbiturates
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Etiology: Substance-related
Medication-induced
– Anticholinergics (furosemide, digoxin, theophylline,
cimetidine, prednisolone, TCA’s, captopril)
– Analgesics (morphine, codeine..)
– Steroids
– Antiparkinson (anticholinergic and dopaminergic)
– Sedatives (benzodiazepines, barbiturates)
– Anticonvulsants
– Antimicrobials (penicillin, cephalosporins, quinolones)
– Antidepressants
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Etiology: Substance-related
Toxins
– Carbon monoxide
– organophosphates
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Predisposing risk factors
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>60 years of age
Male gender
Visual impairment
Underlying brain
pathology such as
stroke, tumor,
vasculitis, trauma,
dementia
• Major medical illness
• Recent major surgery
• Depression
• Functional
dependence
• Dehydration
• Substance
abuse/dependence
• Hip fx
• Metabolic
abnormalities
• Polypharmacy
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Precipitating risk factors
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Medications
Severe acute illness
UTI
Hyponatremia
Hypoxemia
Shock
Anemia
Pain
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Orthopedic surgery
Cardiac surgery
ICU admission
High number of
hospital procedures
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The pathophysiology of delirium
• Many hypotheses exist including:
Neurotransmitter abnormalities
Inflammatory response with increased
cytokines
Changes in the blood-brain barrier
permeability
Widespread reduction of cerebral oxidative
metabolism
Increased activity of the hypothalamicpituitary adrenal axis
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How to evaluate a patient with suspected delirium
• Look with particular attention to level of
consciousness, behavior and level of
cooperativeness
• Look at the overall time course
• Review medication list including scheduled,
doses, recent medications discontinued or
started
• Evaluate for recent medical illness and
interventions
• Screen for history of substance dependence to
determine risk of withdrawal
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How to evaluate a patient with suspected delirium
• Review diagnostic studies including labs,
imaging, vital signs
• Interview patient paying close attention to
concentration, level of somnolence, mood
lability, executive function, short term memory
deficits, kinetics. Use MMSE.
• Gather collateral information from family/friends
regarding baseline function, personality, psych
history
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Treatment
• First and foremost treat the underlying cause.
• Physical Support : for orientation (calendar,
clock, family pictures, windows),
– have family or friends visit frequently making sure they
introduce themselves, minimize staff switching.
– Patient shoud be neither sensory deprived nor
stimulated by the environment.
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Treatment
• Pharmacotherapy: two major symptoms
should be treated are psychosis & insomnia.
– For psychosis:
• Typical antipsychotics (haloperidol) initial dose 26mg IM, repeated if the patient remains agitated.
• Atypical antipsychotics (risperidone) are also used
but limited.
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Treatment
– For insomnia:
• Benzodiazepine short or intermediate half-life
(lorazepam) 1-2mg at bed time
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Cast
Muhammed Ismail
Ahmed Tarek
Mo 'amen Gomaa
Marwan Saber
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