Delirium and Dementia Flashcards
Three DS of cognitive impairment in Older adults
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Depression
What is Delirium
is Acute confusion characterized by sudden and temporary changes in cognition, attention, memory and perception
- Cause: unknown, thought to be disturbances in the
Neurotransmitters with multifactorial causes. - Predisposing and precipitating risk factors: Ex. advanced age, depression, polypharmacy, chronic medical condition, alcoholism
Delirium Prevalence
- 22% IN COMMUNITY-LIVING PEOPLE
- 15% TO 70% IN LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS
- 11% TO 33% UPON ADMISSION TO HOSPITAL
* + 5% TO 35% DELIRIUM DEVELOPING AFTER ADMISSION - 80% OR MORE IN INTENSIVE CARE SETTINGS
Types of Delirium
- Hyperactive
- Hypoactive
- Mixed
Hyperactive delirium
Agitation, hallucinations, restlessness, and hyperactivity
Hypoactive delirium
lethargy, decreased motor activity
Mixed delirium
Fluctuation between hyperactive and hypoactive
Functional Consequences of Delirium
- Delirium is a medical emergency
- Longer hospital stays
- Higher rate of LTC residency
- Short and long-term functional impairment
- Development of or worsening of Dementia
Why is delirium unrecognized in LTC?
Delirium is often unrecognized in long-term care (LTC) because its symptoms, such as confusion, agitation, or lethargy, can be mistaken for normal aging, dementia, or other chronic conditions.
Nursing assessment for Delirium
- Assess and treat predisposing factors (pre-existing factors)
- Keep individual safe until delirium is resolved
Most Common Nursing assessment for Delirium
CAM (The Confusion assessment method): The diagnosis of delirium by CAM requires the presence of feature 1 and 2 and either 3 or 4
- FEATURE 1: ACUTE ONSET OR FLUCTUATING COURSE
- FEATURE 2: INATTENTION
- FEATURE 3: DISORGANIZED THINKING
- FEATURE 4: ALTERED LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Delirium Intervention
- Pharmacological intervention
- Non-pharmacological intervention
Pharmacological Intervention for Delirium
- Pharmacological treatment of delirium is not recommended
- Review Patient medication
- Limit use of psychoactive medication to specific symptoms
- Discontinue nonessential medications
& BENZODIAZEPINES/PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE USED FOR
DELIRIUM ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL
Non-pharmacological intervention for Delirium
- Physiological stability/reversable cause
- Environmental
- Education
- Communication
Treatment of Delirium is focused on
- Possible contributing factors
- Safety to address function and behavioral changes
- Managing aggravating factors that might worsen the Delirium