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Chapter 11 - Liaison Old Age Psychiatry Management of Delirium in Acute Hospitals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 April 2024

By
Mani Santhana Krishnan ,
Josie Jenkinson  and
Rashi Negi
Edited by
George Tadros  and
George Crowther
George Tadros
Affiliation:
Aston University, Birmingham
George Crowther
Affiliation:
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds
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Summary

Delirium is an acute change in mental state causing difficulties in attention, awareness, and arousal, and also fluctuating cognition. There are often multiple underlying causes. Delirium is much more common in older people and affects approximately one in three elderly patients in acute hospitals (1). The presentation is often under-recognised throughout the patient’s journey, despite being associated with poor outcomes, higher costs of care, and higher mortality (2, 3). Delirium can be hyperactive (predominantly agitated), hypoactive (predominantly withdrawn and drowsy), or mixed.

Type
Chapter
Information
Handbook of Old Age Liaison Psychiatry , pp. 140 - 156
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

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