Delerium

Question 1

What is delirium?

Answer 1

Confusion and indicative of impairment of attention and concentration, distractibility, and disorientation.
Unable to process information with normal speed and clarity.
usually accompanied by agitation with illusions and hallucinations.

Question 2

Outline the causes of delirium.

Answer 2

Traumatic: Concussions- contusions and bleed
Inflammatory (non-infective)- meningoencephalitis, abscess.
Neoplastic: Carcinomatous
Vascular: Subarachnoid H
Metabolic: glucose, pH
Drugs/Toxins: Alcohol and Septicaemia

Question 3

How do we investigate and manage delirium?

Answer 3

Treat the hypoxia, hypoglycaemia, and hypovalaemia

Check for obstructed ventilation
check serum glucose
Low, 50ml of 50% dextrose IV
If suspected of Alcohol abuse/malnutrition IV thiamine, as Wernicke’s encephalopathy is prone in glucose infusion

Trauma or evidence of intracranial mass requires scans

Metabolic: treat disturbance