Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Problem of Delirium in the Elderly

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Geriatric Medicine

  • 1847 Accesses

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Josephson S, Miller BL. Confusion and delirium. In: Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J, editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2015. p. 19e. http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.acs.hcn.com.au/content.aspx?bookid=1130&Sectionid=79724923. Accessed Jan 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Neufield KJ, Thomas C. Delirium: definition, epidemiology, and diagnosis. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013;30(5):438–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ryan DJ, O’Regan NA, Caoimh RO, et al. Delirium in an adult acute hospital population: predictors, prevalence and detection. BMJ Open. 2013;3(1):1–10. Available at British Medical Journal Open Access. Accessed January 2016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Delirium Clinical Guidelines Expert Working Group. Clinical practice guidelines for the management of delirium in older people. Melbourne, Victoria: Department of Health and Ageing (Canberra) and Department of Human services; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Roache V. Southwestern internal medicine conference, etiology and management of delirium. Am J Med Sci. 2003;325(1):20–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown TM, Boyle MF. Delirium. BMJ. 2002;325(7365):644–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual. 5th ed. Washington, DC: APA Press; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  8. McCusker J, Cole M, Denukuri N, Han L, Belzile E. The course of delirium in older medical inpatients: a prospective study. J Gen Intern Med. 2003;18(9):696–704.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. O’Keeffe ST, Lavan JN. Clinical significance of delirium subtypes in older people. Age Ageing. 1999;28(2):115–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cassel CK, Leipzig R, Cohen HJ, Larson EB, Meier DE, editors. Geriatric medicine: an evidence based approach. Part IV–neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Section 76, Delkirium (Inouye S). 4th ed. Spring-Verlag: New York; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Meagher D, O’Regan N, Ryan DJ, Connolly W, Boland R, et al. Frequency of delirium and subsyndromal delirium in an adult acute hospital population. Br J Psychiatry. 2014;205:478–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Mercantonio ER, Rudolph JL, Culley D, Crosby G, Alsop D, et al. Serum biomarkers for delirium. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2006;61:1281–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kitajima Y, Hori K, Konishi K, Tani M, Tomioka H, et al. A review of the role of anticholinergic activity in lewy body disease and delirium. Neurodegener Dis. 2015;15:162–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cape E, Hall RJ, van Munster BC, de Vries A, Howie SEM, et al. Cerebrospinal fluid markers of neuroinflammation in delirium: a role for interleukin-1B in delirium after hip fracture. J Psychosom Res. 2014;77:219–25.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Androsova G, Krause R, Winterer G, Schneider R. Biomarkers of postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction. Front Aging Neurosci. 2015;7:112. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2015.00112.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Inouye SK. Prevention of delirium in hospitalised older patients: risk factors and targeted intervention strategies. Ann Med. 2000;32(4):257–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. O’Keeffe ST, Lavan JN. Predicting delirium in elderly patients: development and validation of a risk-stratification model. Age Ageing. 1996;25(4):317–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Pendlebury ST, Lovett NG, Smith SC, Dutta N, Bendon C, et al. Observational, longitudinal study of delirium in consecutive unselected acute medical admissions; age-specific rates and associated factors, mortality and re-admission. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e007808. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007808.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Ahmed S, Leurent B, Sampson EL. Risk factors for incident delirium among older people in acute hospital medical units: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Age Ageing. 2014;43:326–33.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Inouye SK, Bogardus ST Jr, Charpentier PA et al. A multicomponent intervention to prevent delirium in hospitalised older patients. N Engl J Med 1999; 340: 669–676.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Holt R, Young J, Heseltine D. Effectiveness of a multi-component intervention to reduce delirium incidence in elderly care wards. Age Ageing. 2013;42:721–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Martinez F, Tobar C, Hill N. Preventing delirium: should non-pharmacological, multicomponent interventions be used? A systemic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Age Ageing. 2015;44:196–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Siddiqi N, Holt R, Britton AM, Holmes J. Interventions for preventing delirium in hospitalised patients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; 2:Art. No CD005563. Doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005563.pub2.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Marcantonio ER, Flacker JM, Wright RJ, Resnick NM. Reducing delirium after hip fracture: a randomised trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001;49(5):516–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Hessler JB, Bronner M, Etgen T, Gotzler O, Forstl H, al s. Smoking increases the risk of delirium in older inpatients: a prospective population-based study. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2015;37(4):360–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Goldberg A, Straus SE, Hamid JS, Wong CL. Room transfers and the risk of delirium incidence amongst hospitalised elderly medical patients; a case control study. BMC Geriatr. 2015;15:69. doi:10.1186/s12877-015-0070-8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Korevaar JC, van Munster BC, do Rooij SE. Risk factors for delirium in acutely admitted elderly patients: a prospective cohort study. BMC Geriatric. 2005;5:6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Yew T, Maher S. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine. Position statement 13: delirium in older people. Revised 2012. www.anzsgm.org/documents/PS13delirium statementrevised2012. Accessed Jan 2016.

  29. The American Geriatrics Society expert Panel. Postoperative delirium in older adults: best practice statement from the American Geriatrics Society. J Am Coll Surg 2015; 220 (2): 136–149.

    Google Scholar 

  30. British Geriatrics Society. Guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and management of delirium in older people in hospital. www.bgs.org.uk. Accessed Jan 2016.

  31. Shi Q, Warren L, Saposnik G, Macdermid JC. Confusion assessment method: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013;9:1359–70.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Wei LA, Fearing MA, Sternberg EJ, Inouye SK. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM): a systematic review of current usage. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008;56(5):823–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Steis MR, Evans L, Hirschman KB, et al. Screening for delirium using family caregivers: convergent validity of the Family Confusion Assessment Method and interviewer-rated Confusion Assessment Method. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012;60:2121–6.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Sands MB, Dantoc BP, Hartshorn A, Ryan CJ, Lujic S. Single Question in Delirium (SQiD): testing its efficacy against psychiatrist interview, the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale. Palliat Med. 2010 Sep;24(6):561–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Farrell KR, Ganzini L. Misdiagnosing delirium as depression in medically ill elderly patients. Arch Intern Med. 1995;155(22):2459–64.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Cepoiu M, McCusker J, Cole MG, Sewitch M, Ciampi A. recognition of depression in older medical inpatients. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;22:559–64.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Meeks TW, Vahia IV, Lavretsky H, Kulkarni G, Jeste DV. A tune in “a minor” and “b major”: a review of epidemiology, illness course, and public health implications of subthreshold depression in older adults. J Affect Disord. 2011;129:126–42.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. O’Sullivan R, Inouye SK, Meagher D. Delirium and depression: inter-relationships and clinical overlap in elderly people. Lancet. 2014;1:303–11.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. O’Keeffe ST, Devlin JG. Delirium and the dexamethasone suppression test in the elderly. Neuropsychobiology. 1994;30:153–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Van den Berg KS, Marjinissen RM, van Waarde JA. Electroconvulsive therapy as a powerful treatment for delirium: a case report. J ECT. 2015;32:65–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Givens JL, Jones RN, Inouye SK. The overlap syndrome of depression and delirium in older hospitalised patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009;57:1347–53.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Rasmussen HH, Sorensen HT, Moller-Petersen J, Mortensen FV, Nielsen B. Bacterial meningitis in elderly patients: Clinical picture and course. Age Ageing. 1992;21(3):216–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Thomas C, Hestermann U, Walther S, et al. Prolonged activation EEG differentiates dementia with and without delirium in frail elderly patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008;79:119–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Meierkord DJ, Holkamp M. Non-convulsive status epilepticus in adults; clinical forms and treatment. Lancet Neurol. 2007;6:329–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Hasemann W, Tolson D, Godwin J, Sprig R, Frei IA, et al. A before and after study of a nurse led comprehensive delirium management programme (DemDel) for older acute care inpatients with cognitive impairment. In J Nurs Stud. 2016;53:27–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Zaubler TS, Murphy K, Rizzuto L, Santos C, Giordano J, et al. Quality improvement and cost savings with multicomponent delirium interventions; replication of the Hospital Elder Life Program in a community hospital. Psychosomatics. 2013;54(3):219–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Hshieh TT, Yue J, Oh E, Puelle M, Dowal S, et al. Effectiveness of multicomponent non-pharmacological delirium interventions; a meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):512–20.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Bogardus ST, Desai MM, Williams CS, et al. the effects of targeted multicomponent delirium intervention on post discharge outcomes for hospitalised older adults. Am J Med. 2003;114:383–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Teale E, Young J. Multicomponent delirium prevention: not as effective as NICE suggest? Age Ageing. 2015;44:915–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Eeles E, Thompson L, McCrow J, Pandy S. Management of delirium in medicine: experience of a Close Observation unit. Aust J Ageing. 2013;32(1):60–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Galdman J, Harwood R, Conroy S, Logan P, Elliott R, et al. Medical crisis in older people. Southampton, UK: NIHR Journals Library; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Siddiqi N, young J, House AO, et al. Stop Delirium! A complex intervention to prevent delirium in care homes: a mixed methods feasibility study. Age Ageing. 2011;40:90–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Tropea J, Slee JA, Policy BCA, update p. clinical practice guidelines for the management of delirium in older people in Australia. Aust J Ageing. 2008;27:150–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Lonergan E, Britton AM, Luxenburg J. Antipsychotics for delirium. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007;2:CD005594.

  55. Kishi T, Hirota T, Matsunaga S, Iwata N. Antipsychotic medications for the treatment of delirium; a systematic review and met-analysis of randomised controlled trials. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2015; 0: 1–8 doi:10.1136/jnnp-2015-311049.

  56. Barr J, Pandharipande PP. The pain, agitation, and delirium care bundle: synergistic benefits of implementing the 2013 pain, agitation, and delirium guidelines in an integrated and interdisciplinary fashion. Crit Care Med. 2013;41:S99–115.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Kiberd M, Hall R. Does haloperidol cause delirium? Crit Care Med. 2015;43(5):1143–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Maher AR, Maglione M, Bagley S, et al. Efficacy and comparative effectiveness of atypical antipsychotic medications for off-label uses in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2011;306:1359–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Mayo-Smith MF. American Society for Addiction medicine Working Group on Pharmacological management of alcohol withdrawal: a meta-analysis and evidence based guidelines. JAMA. 1997;278:144–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Lonergan E, Luxenburg J, Areosa Sastre A. Benzodiazepines for delirium. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;4:Art. No. CD006379. Doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006379.pub3.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Overshott R, Karim S, Burns A. Cholinesterase inhibitors for delirium. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;1:Art. No. CD005317. Doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005317.pub2.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Tampi RR, Tampi DJ, Ghori AK. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for delirium in older adults. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Dem. 2016;81:287–92. doi:10.1177/1533317515619034.

    Google Scholar 

  63. Hatta K, Kishi Y, Wada K, Takeuchi T, Odawara T, et al. Preventative effects of ramelteon on delirium; a randomised placebo-controlled trial. JAMA Psychiat. 2014;71(4):397–403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Sher Y, Miller-Cramer AC, Ament A, Lolak S, Maldonado JR. Valproatic acid for treatment of hypoactive or mixed delirium: rationale and literature review. Psychosomatics. 2015;56(6):615–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Flurie RW, Ganzales JP, Tata AL, Millstein LS, Gulati M. Hospital delirium treatment: continuation of antipsychotic therapy from the intensive care unit to discharge. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2015;72(23 Suppl 3):S133–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Inouye SK, Westendorp RG, Saczynski JS. Delirium in elderly people. Lancet. 2014;383:911–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Raats JW, van Eijsden WA, Crolla R, Steyerberg EW, van der Laan L. Risk factors and outcomes for postoperative delirium after major surgery in elderly patients. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e0136071. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0136071.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical Guideline 103. Delirium: Diagnosis, Prevention and Management. London, UK: NICE; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  69. Oh ES, Li M, Fafowora TM, Inouye SK, Chen CH, Rosman LM, et al. Preoperative risk factors for postoperative delirium following hip fracture repair: a systematic review. Int J Geraitr Psychiatry. 2015;30(9):900–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Mangusan RF, Hooper V, Denslow SA, Travis L. Outcomes associated with postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery. Am J Crit Care. 2015;24:156–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Gleason LJ, Schmitt EM, Kosar CM, Tabloski P, Saczynski JS, et al. Effects of delirium and other major complications on outcomes after elective surgery in older adults. JAMA. 2015;150(12):1134–40.

    Google Scholar 

  72. Santarpino G, Fasol r, Sirch J, et al. Impact of bispectral index monitoring on postoperative delirium in patients undergoing aortic surgery. HSR Proc Intensive Care Cardiovasc Anesth. 2011;3:47–58.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Chan MT, Cheng BC, Lee TM, Gin T, CODA Trial Group. BIS-guided anaesthesia decreases postoperative delirium and cognitive decline. J Neurosurg Anaesthesiol. 2013;25:33–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Radtke FM, Franck M, lendner J, et al. Monitoring depth of anaesthesia in a randomised trial decreases the rate of postoperative delirium but not postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Br J Anaesth. 2013;110(Suppl 1):i98–105.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. The American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults. Abstracted clinical practice guideline for postoperative delirium in older adults. J Am Geraitr Soc. 2015;63:142–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Kinjo S, Lim E, Sands LP, et al. Does using femoral nerve block for total knee replacement decrease postoperative delirium? BMC Anaesthesiol. 2012;12:4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. The American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults. Postoperative delirium in older adults: best practice statement from the American geriatric Society. J Am Coll Surg. 2015;220(2):136–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Schrijver EJ, de Graaf K, de Vries OJ, Maier AB, Nanayakkara PW. Efficacy and safety of haloperidol for in-hospital delirium prevention and treatment: a systematic review of current evidence. Eur J Intern Med. 2016;27:14–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Van den Boogaard M, Pickkers P, Slooter AJ, Kulper MA, Spronk PE, et al. Development and validation of a PRE-DELIRIC (PREdiction of DELIRium in ICu patients) delirium prediction model for intensive care patients; observational multicentre study. BMJ. 2012;344:e420.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  80. Ely EW, Margolin R, Francis J, et al. Evaluation of delirium in critically ill patients; validation of the Confusion assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Crit Care Med. 2001;29:1370–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Glynn L, Corry M. Intensive cares nurses’ opinions and current practice in relation to delirium in the intensive care setting. Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2015;31(5):269–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Barr J, Fraser GL, Puntillo K, et al. clinical practice guidelines for the management of pain, agitation, and delirium in adult patients in the intensive care unit. Crit Care Med. 2013;41:278–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Hanison J, Conway D. A multifaceted approach to prevention of delirium on intensive care. BMJ Qual Improv Reports 2015;4(1). Doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u209656.w4000.

  84. Rivosecchi RM, Kane-Gill SL, Svec S, Campbell S, Smithburger PL. The implementation of nonpharmacologic protocol to prevent intensive care delirium. J Crit Care. 2016;31(1):206–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Rosenweig AB, Sittambalam CD. A new approach to the prevention and treatment of delirium in elderly patients in the intensive care unit. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2015;5:27950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  86. Abelha FJ, Luis C, Veiga D, Parente D, Fernandes V, et al. Outcome and quality of life in patients with postoperative delirium during ICU stay following major surgery. Crit Care. 2013;17:R257.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  87. Klein Klouwenberg PMC, Zaal IJ, Spitoni C, Ong DSY, van der Kooi AW, et al. The attributable mortality of delirium in critically ill patients: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2014;349:g6652. doi:10.1136/bmj.g6652.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  88. Salluh JIF, Wang H, Schneider EB, Nagaraja N, Yenokyan G, et al. Outcome of delirium in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2015;350:h2538. doi:10.1136/bmj.h2538.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  89. Han JH, Wilson A, Ely EW. Delirium in the older emergency department patient—a quiet epidemic. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2010;28(3):611–31.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  90. Han JH, Wilson A, Vasilevskis EE, Shintani A, Schnelle JF, et al. Diagnosing delirium in older emergency department patients: validity and reliability of the delirium triage screen and the brief confusion assessment method. Ann Emerg Med. 2013;62(5):457–65.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  91. Kakuma R, Fort D, Galbaud G, Arsenault L, Perrault A, et al. Delirium in older emergency department patients discharged home: effect on survival. J Am Geraitr Soc. 2003;51(4):443–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  92. Rosen T, Connors S, Clark S, Halpern A, Stern ME, et al. Assessment and management of delirium in older adults in the emergency department: literature review to inform development of a novel clinical protocol. Adv Emerg Nurs J. 2015;37(3):183–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  93. Hsieh SJ, Madahar P, Hope AA, Zapata J, Gong MN. Clinical deterioration in older adults with delirium during early hospitalisation: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e007496. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007496.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  94. Hosie A, Davidson PM, Agar M, Sanderson CR, Phillips J. Delirium prevalence, incidence, and implications for screening in specialist palliative care inpatient settings: a systematic review. Palliat Med. 2013;27:486–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Partridge JS, Martin FC, Harari D, Dhesi JK. The delirium experience: what is the effect on patients, relatives and staff and what can be done to modify this? Int J Geraitr Psychiatry. 2013;28:804–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  96. Lawlor PG, Gagnon B, Mancini IL, et al. Occurrence, causes, and outcomes of delirium in patients with advanced cancer: a prospective study. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:786–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  97. Bush SH, Leonard MM, Agar M, Spiller JA, Hosie A, et al. End-of-life delirium; issues regarding recognition, optimal management and the role of sedation in the dying phase. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2014;48(2):215–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  98. Bush SH, Kanji S, Pereira JL, Davis DHL, Currow DC, et al. Treating and established episode of delirium in palliative care: expert opinion and review of current evidence bas e with recommendations for future development. J Pain Symptom Manag. 2014;48(2):231–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  99. Mathillas J, olofsson B, lovheim H, Gustafson Y. Thirty day prevalence of delirium among very old people: a population-based study of very old people living at home and in institutions. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2013;57(3):298–304.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  100. Hasegawa N, Hashimoto M, Yuuki S, Honda K, Yatabe Y et al. Prevalence of delirium among outpatients with dementia. Int Psychogeriatr 2013; 25 (11): 1877–1883.

    Google Scholar 

  101. Clegg A, Siddiqi N, Heaven A, Young J, Holt R. Interventions for preventing delirium in older people in institutional long term care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014;1:Art.No. CD009537. Doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009537.pub2.

    Google Scholar 

  102. McCusker J, Cole MG, Voyer P, Vu M, Ciampi A, et al. Environmental factors predict the severity of delirium symptoms in long-term care residents with and without delirium. J Am Geraitr Soc. 2013;61(4):502–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  103. Morandi A, Lucchi E, Turco R, Morghen S, Guerini F, et al. Delirium superimposed on dementia: a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of patient experience. J Psychosom Res. 2015;79(4):281–7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  104. Drews T, Franck M, Radtke FM, Weiss B, Krampe H, et al. Postoperative delirium is an independent risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder in the elderly patient: a prospective observational study. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2015;32(3):147–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  105. Agency for Clinical Innovation. Care of Confused Hospitalised Older Persons (CHOPS). www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/chops. Accessed Jan 2016.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

    Suzanne Wass M.B.Ch.B., F.R.A.C.P.

Authors
  1. Suzanne Wass M.B.Ch.B., F.R.A.C.P.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne Wass M.B.Ch.B., F.R.A.C.P. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine and Public Health Hunter Health, John Hunter Campus, Newcastle, Australia

    Balakrishnan Kichu R. Nair

Glossary

ADLs

Activities of daily living

BP

Blood pressure

BSL

Blood sugar level

CAM

Confusion assessment method

CNS

Central nervous system

CRP

C-reactive protein

CT

Computerized tomography

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident

CXR

Chest X-ray

ECG

Electrocardiogram

ECT

Electroconvulsive therapy

ED

Emergency department

EEG

Electroencephalogram

EUC

Electrolytes, urea and creatinine

FBC

Full blood count

GP

General practitioner

ICU

Intensive care unit

IDC

Indwelling catheter

LFT

Liver function tests

LP

Lumbar puncture

MCI

Mild cognitive impairment

MMSE

Mini Mental State Examination

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

OTC

Over the counter

STM

Short-term memory

TSH

Thyroid stimulating hormone

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Editor(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wass, S. (2018). The Problem of Delirium in the Elderly. In: Nair, B. (eds) Geriatric Medicine. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3253-0_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3253-0_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-3252-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-3253-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation