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Delirium
Presenter : Dr. Udayan Majumder
Resident in Psychiatry, RIMS
Reversible Dementias
DSM-5 defines Major neurocognitive disorder as a
significant cognitive decline from previous level of
functioning in one or more cognitive domains:
Complex attention
Executive function
Learning and memory
Language
Perceptual motor, or social cognition
• Neurosyphilis :
Late syphilis presents as dementia, tabes dorsalis, general
paresis, sensory ataxia, and bladder / bowel disturbances.
MCI can be reversed following adequate treatment
• Clinical testing may reveal memory impairment that is far less than
what is reported by the patient
Core symptoms:
The core symptoms of delirium include a disturbance of consciousness
that is accompanied by a change in cognition that develops rapidly,
usually hours to days, and tends to fluctuate during the course of the
day
Hospital Length of Stay
increases Rs / $
Mortality and Morbidity
Nursing home placement from hospital
Caregiver burden
Nursing care
Cognitive and functional decline
Delirium is harmful
Facts and figures
• Most incidence and prevalence rates reported in the
elderly
• The prevalence at hospital admission 14 - 24 %
• People experience it at end of life 85%
• General medical in-patients 10-30%
• Critical care units 16%
• Cardiac care Units 16-34%
• Orthopedic surgery units 33%
• Terminally ill cancer patients 22-28%
Risk factors
• Predisposing factors
1. Age > 65yrs, Male sex
2. Dementia, H/O Delirium, Depression
3. Functional dependence, Immobility
4. Hearing or visual disturbances
5. Dehydration, Malnutrition
6. Psychoactive, anticholinergic drugs, alcohol
7. Coexisting medical conditions
Risk factors contd.
• Precipitating factors
1. Medications
2. Stroke (non-dominant hemisphere), IC bleed,
neuroinfections
3. Intercurrent illnesses
4. Cardiac and orthopedic surgeries
5. Long ICU stay, sleep deprivation, bladder catheter,
physical restraints, pain, emotional stress
Medications
• Opioids • Lithium
• Corticosteroids • H2 Blockers
• Benzodiazepines • NSAIDs
• Anticholinergics • Metoclopramide
• Diuretics • Alcohol/drug use
• Tricyclics or withdrawal
Pathophysiology
• Still remains poorly understood
• Disruptions in different areas of brain (non-
dominant side)
• PFC, subcortical stuctures, thalamus, basal
ganglia, frontal and temporoparietal cortex,
fusiform cortex, and lingual gyri
Neurotransmission
3. Glutamate
a) Excitatory neurotoxicity effects cause neuronal death
b) NMDA antagonists (ketamine & phencyclidine)are
associated with delirium
Contd.
3. GABA
a) Contributing to delirium secondary to BDZ and alcohol
withdrawal
b) Hepatic encephalopathy has been associated with
increased serum ammonia and GABA levels
4. Serotonin
a) May contribute, evidence less developed
b) Interactions with the cholinergic and dopaminergic
pathways
5. Oxidative Metabolism
a) Disturbance in brain oxygen supply versus demand
b) Impaired oxidative metabolism in metabolic disorders
Contd.
6. Blood brain barrier alterations
a) CNS response to systemic inflammation during a state of
blood–brain barrier compromise
b) Chemokines have been associated with delirium by
disrupting the BBB
c) Trauma, primary hyperparathyroidism and delirium
tremens
7. Ammonia
a) Ammonia induce and aggravate astrocyte swelling,
initiating cascade of events leading to delirium
Contd.
8. Cytokines, IL-1,2,6, TNF-Alpha & IF-gamma,
may contribute by increasing the permeability of
the BBB and altering neurotransmission
Less likely to
be diagnosed
Mixed
• Confusion • Confusion
• Agitation • Somnolence
• Hallucinations • Fluctuates • Withdrawn
• Myoclonus between • Decreased PMA
• Mood lability • Mimic severe depression
both
Hyperactive Hypoactive
DSM-5
• Specify if
1. Acute – lasting a few hours or day
2. Persistent- lasting weeks or months
• Specify if
1. Hyperactive
2. Hypoactive
3. Mixed level of activity
• Visual hallucinations
• Severity of delirium –
2. Close observation.
3. Monitor vital signs and fluid intake and outputs.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Subdural hematomas
• Intracranial tumors
• Staff continuity
• Adequate nutrition
PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION
General principles
• Antipsychotics and
• Benzodiazepines
Contd.
• Haloperidol - Preferred drug. Potent & fewer anti cholinergic and
hypotensive side effects.
Others