Who's at risk for delirium?
Delirium happens most often in older people who have a serious illness. There's a greater risk if the person has dementia. But delirium can happen at any age.
Delirium is a sudden change in a person's mental state and ability to think clearly. It happens most often in older people who have a serious illness. There's a greater risk if the person has dementia. But delirium can happen at any age. And it doesn't always happen in someone with a serious illness.
Delirium is seen as an emergency. It needs to be looked at by a doctor right away.
What raises a person’s risk?
Delirium can happen while a person is being treated for an illness or other serious health condition. It can also happen after surgery. The person may be in a hospital or nursing home. Or they may be at home. Delirium often goes unrecognized in older adults.
A person is at risk for delirium if they have one or more of these:
- Current dementia or cognitive impairment
- A past episode of delirium
- Depression
- Are age 65 or older
- Any serious illness, such as cancer, heart attack, or metabolism problem, such as those linked to kidney or liver failure
- Been admitted to intensive care in a hospital
- Physical restraints
- Been using or are withdrawing from drugs or alcohol
- Past or current brain injury or disease
- A bladder catheter
- An infection
- Broken bones, especially those that need surgery
- Sleep problems because of light, noise, or other disruptions
- Constant or severe pain that isn't well-managed
- Fluid loss (dehydration)
- Poor nutrition
- Poor eyesight or hearing
- Several tests or treatments in a short time
- Not able to move or have pain with movement
- Recent surgery with anesthesia
Medicines that raise the risk of delirium
Certain medicines can raise a person's risk of having delirium. They include:
- Prescription medicines. This includes sedatives, narcotics, antispasmodics, antibiotics, muscle relaxants, steroids, high blood pressure medicine, antacids, antidepressants, heart medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, and pain medicines, especially opiates.
- Over-the-counter medicines. This includes allergy medicine, cough medicine, sleeping pills, and antinausea medicine. Diphenhydramine, found in many allergy and sleeping pills, is a very common cause.
- Some herbal medicines
- Psychoactive medicines
If you know someone at risk
Delirium is an emergency. If you think that your loved one has delirium, call