Clinical ReviewDelirium in Elderly Patients
Section snippets
Acute Onset
The symptoms of delirium usually develop over hours-to-days, although onset may be abrupt.
Prodromal Phase
When the onset is more gradual, the patient may report mild, transient symptoms, such as fatigue, decreased concentration, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, or depression. There may be mild cognitive impairment, perceptual disturbances, or hypersensitivity to light and sound. Commonly, there is daytime somnolence or a sleep disturbance. The disturbance may be limited to this mild prodromal phase or
CONCLUSION
Delirium is a frequent and serious mental disorder in elderly patients. It is often not diagnosed, even though there are potential strategies (e.g., screening by nurses, risk-factor assessment) and instruments that can improve detection and diagnosis. Although there has been limited progress in understanding the etiology, pathogenesis, assessment, and specific treatment of delirium, systematic detection and treatment programs appear to be beneficial for elderly surgical patients, as are
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