Delirium and Memory Problems Flashcards
What is the most common mental health problem in hospitalised patients above the age of 65?
Delirium
What are the main features of delirium?
Impaired consciousness Disturbed cognition Psychomotor disturbance Emotional disturbance Disturbed sleep-wake cycle
What might be seen clinically if a patient has impaired consciousness?
Clouding
Drowsiness
Stupor
Coma
What might be seen clinically if a patient has disturbed cognition?
Disorientated for time and place
Impaired memory and attention
Impaired thinking
Perceptual disturbance (hallucinations, delusions)
What are the 2 main psychomotor variants of delirium?
Hypoactive
Hyperactive
Can get mixed picture
What might be seen clinically if a patient has hypoactive delirium?
Confusion
Sedation
Depression (misdiagnosis)
What might be seen clinically if a patient has hyperactive delirium?
Agitation
Aggression
Hallucinations, delusions
Disorientation
Describe the course of delirium
Fluctuating, transient course
Rapid onset
Can last days to months depending on cause
What drugs can typically cause delirium?
Anticholinergic Anticonvulsant Parkinson drugs Steroids Opiates Alcohol Illicit drugs
Withdrawal from what substances can typically cause delirium?
Alcohol
Benzodiazepines
Barbiturates
Illicit drugs
List some metabolic abnormalities that can typically cause delirium
Hypoxia
Hypoglycaemia
Hypo/hyperthyroidism
Hypopituitarism
No identifiable cause excludes a diagnosis of delirium. True/False?
False
List the main risk factors for delirium
Elderly Existing dementia Sensory deficits Perioperative Previous episode Immobility Social isolation, stress
Sedating drugs can worsen delirium. True/False?
True
How is delirium due to alcohol withdrawal managed with medication?
Benzodiazepine (chloridazepoxide, diazepam)
What is the general management of delirium?
1ST LINE = environmental measures (reality oreintation, sensory impairment, light, noise, basic needs)
Antipsychotic - haloperidol
Lorazepam in PD, LWB dementia, neuroepileptic sensitivity
Who typically gets hyperactive delirium?
Elderly with recent injury e.g. hip fracture
What time of day is delirium typically worse?
Night
What is the shortest type of memory?
Sensory memory (less than 1 sec) Short-term (less than 1 minute)
List the 2 main domains of long-term memory and their function
Explicit memory (conscious) Implicit memory (unconscious)
Procedural memory is part of what - implicit or explicit memory? What kind of memory does it enable?
Implicit memory
Remembering skills and doing tasks
Declarative memory is part of what - implicit or explicit memory? What kind of memory does it enable?
Explicit memory
Remembering facts and events
What are the 2 main domains of declarative memory and their memory functions?
Episodic memory (events, experiences) Semantic memory (facts, concepts)