Delirium

Question 1

What is delirium

Answer 1

Delirium is insult to the brain that leads to acute neuronal cell damage, usually caused by hypoxia and/or inflammation

Question 2

What are the three main types of delirium

Answer 2

Hypoactive - patient withdrawn, quiet, sleepy

Hyperactive - patient restless, agitated, aggressive

Mixed - mixture of the two

Question 3

Name some risk factors for delirium

Answer 3

>65yrs

Multiple co-morbidities

Male

Renal impairment

Dementia

Sensory impariment

Electrolyte imbalance

Question 4

Name some intracranial causes of delirium

Answer 4

Trauma

CVA

Haemorrhage

Epilepsy

Infection

Question 5

Name some nutritional causes of delirium

Answer 5

B12 deficiency

Folate deficiency

Question 6

Name some metabolic causes of delirium

Answer 6

Hypoxia

Renal

Hepatic

System failure

Question 7

Name some endocrine causes of delirium

Answer 7

Hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism

Hyperglycaemia

Hypoglycaemia

Question 8

Name some extracranial infective causes of delirium

Answer 8

UTI

Pneumonia

Sepsis

Question 9

Name some iatrogenic causes of delirium

Answer 9

Sepsis secondary to chemo

Sedatives

Question 10

What are the risks if a patient is not properly treated for delirium

Answer 10

Increased risk of dementia

Mortality

Increased length of stay in hospital

Risk of new admission into long term care