delirium
Delirium is a serious condition in which a person's mental status changes, he cannot perceive the environment adequately and is confused. Delirium may set in quickly, within hours or days
Delirium is often caused by a variety of factors, such as severe or chronic clinical illness, medication, infection, surgery, alcohol or drug use.
The signs of delirium and dementia are similar, for a correct diagnosis, a full description of the symptoms by family members or caregivers is necessary.
Delirium occurs when the normal reception and transmission of signals in the brain is interrupted This delay is most often caused by a combination of factors that predispose the brain to dysfunction
Any condition that puts a person in a hospital, especially an intensive care unit, increases the risk of delirium Dehydration and infection such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, skin and abdominal infections are common causes. Other predisposing factors include:
- Dementia
- Old age
- Fever, acute infection – in children
- Presented episodes of delirium
- Impaired vision or hearing
- Poor diet or : Disease and drug toxicity
Signs and symptoms of delirium appear over a period of time, from a few hours to a few days Symptoms vary in intensity during the day, that is, a person may have asymptomatic episodes Signs and symptoms include:
Decreased ability to perceive the environment
This causes:
- Decreased ability to focus on one subject or inability to change the subject
- Distracted attention
- Stuck on one idea, unable to answer questions, unable to engage in conversation
- Easily distracted Dementia and delirium are difficult to distinguish, a person may have both conditions Delirium often develops in people with dementia
Dementia is a progressive decline in memory and cognitive abilities caused by the gradual dysfunction and loss of brain cells. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease
The differences between the symptoms of dementia and delirium are:
- Time of onset of symptoms Delirium develops rapidly, while dementia begins with minor symptoms that worsen over time
- Attention Inability to focus is usually a sign of delirium In the initial stages of dementia, a person does not have distracted attention
- Change in intensity of symptoms Delirium symptoms change during the day In dementia, the patient may feel better for a while, but their memory and thinking skills are generally at a constant level.
When to see a doctor
- If a relative, friend or caregiver notices signs and symptoms of delirium, see a doctor If the person has dementia, watch for sudden changes in attention and orientation to the environment, as this may be a sign of delirium. Accurate description of symptoms and recall of normal human behavior help the doctor to make a diagnosis
- Elderly people who stay in the hospital for long periods of time are at particularly high risk Because symptoms are sometimes "silent," such as social withdrawal and impaired adjustment, delirium may be missed. If you notice symptoms in hospital, be sure to tell the nurses or doctor, don't assume they already know
