Confusion causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S.[2]

Overview

Confusion is a common symptom associated with various diseases and metabolic disorders. Common causes of confusion include insults to the central nervous system (CNS), metabolic disorders, and side effects of medications or illicit drugs.

Causes

Common Causes

• Alzheimer's disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Myxedema coma
• Respiratory infection
• Schizophrenia
• Sepsis
• Urinary tract infection

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula , Postoperative haemorrhage , Shock , Sick sinus syndrome
Chemical / poisoning	24-Dinitrotoluene , 44-Methylenebis , 4-Aminopyridine , Acetylsalicylic Acid , Acrylamide , Acute Pesticide poisoning, Adiponitrile , Aldicarb , Amoxicillin, Aniline , Azinphos-methyl , Aztreonam, Baneberry poisoning , Boric Acid , Box thorn poisoning , Bromethalin , Bromide , Bromophos , Butyl Alcohol , Camphor , Carbaryl , Carbon Tetrachloride , Chlordane , Chloromethane , Chlorpyrifos , Christmas Cherry poisoning , Cocaine abuse , Cocaine addiction , Corn Lily poisoning , Coumaphos , Crack addiction , Cresols , Cresylic acid , Cyanogenic glycoside , Cyclohexanone , DDD , DDT , Demeton-S-methyl , Devil's trumpet poisoning , Diazinon , Dibromochloromethane , Dichlorvos , Dicrotophos , Dieldrin , Diethylene Glycol , Digitalis glycoside, Dinitrocresol , Dioxathion , Disulfiram , Disulfoton , Ecstasy addiction , Endosulfan , Ethion , Ethylene Glycol Dinitrate , Fensulfothion , Fenthion , Foxglove poisoning , Gasoline , Glaze , Glycol Ether , Heroin dependence , High Melting Explosive (HMX) , Hydrazine , Hydroquinone, Hydroquinone , Interferon gamma, Isofenphos, Jet Fuel-4 , Jet Fuel-5 , Jimsonweed (Daturastramonium), Kentucky coffee tea poisoning , Kerosene , King Cobra poisoning , Lead poisoning , Lobeline, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide , Malathion , Marijuana abuse , Mercury poisoning, Methidathion , Methiocarb , Methomyl , Metobromuron , Monkshood poisoning , Morphine toxicity , Mustard tree poisoning , Naphthalene , Narcotic addiction , Nickel Carbonyl , Nitrobenzene , Nitroglycerin , Nitrophenol , Nitrophenol Urea , NN-Dimethyl-P-Toluidine , Oil-based paint , Oleander poisoning , Opioid toxicity , Oxycodone addiction , Parathion , Phencyclidine , Phosdrin , Phosphine , potato(Solanumtuberosum), Profenofos , Propane , Propoxur , Propylene Glycol Dinitrate , Potassium iodide, Snake bite , Terbufos , Tetrachloroethane , Tetraethyl Pyrophosphate , Thallium , Thallium poisoning , Thallium Sulfate , Thiram , Toluene , Trichlorfon , Zolpidem withdrawal
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	Amobarbital sodium, Anticholinergic syndrome, Apomorphine hydrochloride, Bicalutamide, Butorphanol, Carbidopa and Levodopa, Colchicine toxicity , Cope's syndrome , Dextromethorphan toxicity , Ethambutol, Fentanyl toxicity , Imipramine toxicity , Meropenem, Methocarbamol, Mitomycin, Nabilone, Nelarabine, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome , Phenytoin toxicity , Propanol , Serotonin Syndrome , Secobarbital sodium, Tolterodine toxicity , Tramadol toxicity ,Alprazolam, Atropine
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Adrenal crisis , Cushing syndrome , Hashimoto's encephalitis , Hyperinsulinism, Hyperparathyroidism , Insulinoma , SIADH , WDHA syndrome
Environmental	Dysbarism , High altitude cerebral edema
Gastroenterologic	Cirrhosis of the liver, Crigler-Najjar syndrome type 1 , End Stage Liver Failure , Liver failure
Genetic	Congenital hepatic porphyria , Congenital nonhemolytic jaundice
Hematologic	Anemia, Bing-Neel syndrome , Leukemia , Multiple Myeloma , Plasma cell leukemia, Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Iatrogenic	Hyperbaric oxygen
Infectious Disease	Acanthamoeba infection , Actinomycetales infection , Acute Bokhoror , Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis , African Sleeping sickness , Bolivian hemorrhagic fever , Brill-Zinsser disease , Bubonic plague , Cryptococcal Meningitis , Cryptococcosis , Cysticercosis , Ehrlichiosis , Epidemic typhus , Flea-borne diseases , Fungal meningitis , Granulomatous amebic encephalitis , HIV/AIDS , Legionnaires' disease , Listeriosis , Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis , Lysteria monocytoigeneses meningitis , Machupo virus , Malaria , Marburg virus , Measles Encephalitis , Melioidosis , Meningitis , Meningococcal disease , Naegleria , Neurocysticercosis , Neurosyphilis , Nipah virus encephalitis , Nocardiosis , Paratyphoid fever , Pediatric AIDS , Postoperative septicaemia , Primary amebic meningoencephalitis , Rabies , Rocky Mountain spotted fever , Tick-borne encephalitis , Toxemia , Toxic Shock Syndrome , Toxoplasmosis , Trypanosomiasis , Yellow fever , Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	No underlying causes
Neurologic	Acute mountain sickness , Aging brain syndrome , Alzheimer disease , Anoxemia , Arbovirosis , Argentinean hemorrhagic fever , Basilar artery insufficiency syndrome , Benign astrocytoma , Berry aneurysm, Brain infection , Bristowe's syndrome , Central nervous system infections , Central nervous system lymphoma primary , Cerebellar abscess , Cerebral abscess , Classic migraine , Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease , Disequilibrium syndrome , Grand mal epilepsy , Grand mal seizures , Leukoencephalopathy , Limbic encephalitis , Multi-Infarct Dementia , Prion diseases , Stroke , Subdural hematoma , Sundown syndrome , Transient Ischemic Attack , Uremic encephalopathy , Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome , Wernicke's encephalopathy
Nutritional / Metabolic	Aceruloplasminemia , Acid-Base Imbalance , Acute liver failure , Alcohol drinking , Alcohol Withdrawal , Alcoholic Neuropathy , Azotemia familial , Burnett's milk drinker's syndrome , Carnitine transporter deficiency , Citrullinemia , Coenzyme Q cytochrome c reductase deficiency , Dehydration , Diabetic hypoglycemia , Diabetic Ketoacidosis , Dilutional hyponatremia , Dobriner syndrome , Folate deficiency, Graeck-Imerslund disease , Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome , Hypervitaminoses A and D , Hypoglycemia , Hypothermia , Hypovolemia , Inborn urea cycle disorder , Metabolic Acidosis , Metabolic encephalopathy , Milk-Alkali syndrome , N-acetyl glutamate synthetase deficiency , Nutritional deficiency , Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency , Pellagra , Pyridoxine deficiency , Q fever , Respiratory acidosis , Respiratory alkalosis , Reye's Syndrome , Urea Cycle Disorders , Water Intoxication
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Acute fatty liver of pregnancy , Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Oncologic	No underlying causes
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	Alprazolam overdose , Appian-Plutarch syndrome , Darvocet overdose , Demerol overdose , Dexedrine overdose , Dilaudid overdose , Ecstasy overdose , Hydrocodone overdose , Lorazepam overdose , Lortab overdose , Methadone overdose , Methamphetamine overdose , Ritalin overdose , Vicodin overdose , Zolpidem overdose
Psychiatric	Brief Psychotic Disorder , Dissociative Amnesia , Dissociative disorder , Dissociative Identity Disorder , Nonaffective Psychosis , Schizoaffective disorder
Pulmonary	Postoperative respiratory failure , Respiratory depression
Renal / Electrolyte	Chronic renal insufficiency , End-stage renal disease , Hypercalcemia , Hypomagnesemia , Hyponatremia , Hypophosphatemia , Kidney failure
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	Antiphospholipid Syndrome , Autoimmune Hepatitis , Autoimmune limbic encephalitis , Neurosarcoidosis
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Concussion , Head injury , Traumatic Brain Injury
Urologic	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	No underlying causes

Causes in Alphabetical Order

24-Dinitrotoluene 44-Methylenebis 4-Aminopyridine Acanthamoeba infection Aceruloplasminemia Acetylsalicylic Acid Acid-Base Imbalance Acrylamide Actinomycetales infection Acute Bokhoror Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Acute fatty liver of pregnancy Acute liver failure Acute mountain sickness Acute Pesticide poisoning Adiponitrile Adrenal crisis African Sleeping sickness Aging brain syndrome Alcohol drinking Alcohol Withdrawal Alcoholic Neuropathy Aldicarb Alprazolam overdose Alzheimer disease Amoxicillin Aniline Anoxemia Anticholinergic syndrome Antiphospholipid Syndrome Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula Apomorphine hydrochloride Appian-Plutarch syndrome Arbovirosis Argentinean hemorrhagic fever Autoimmune Hepatitis Autoimmune limbic encephalitis Azinphos-methyl Azotemia familial Aztreonam Baneberry poisoning Basilar artery insufficiency syndrome Benign astrocytoma Berry aneurysm Bing-Neel syndrome Bolivian hemorrhagic fever Boric Acid Box thorn poisoning Brain infection Brief Psychotic Disorder Brill-Zinsser disease Bristowe's syndrome Bromethalin Bromide Bromophos Bubonic plague Burnett's milk drinker's syndrome Butorphanol Butyl Alcohol Camphor Carbaryl Carbon Tetrachloride Carnitine transporter deficiency Central nervous system infections Central nervous system lymphoma primary Cerebellar abscess Cerebral abscess Chlordane Chloromethane Chlorpyrifos Christmas Cherry poisoning Chronic renal insufficiency Cirrhosis of the liver Citrullinemia Classic migraine Cocaine abuse Cocaine addiction Coenzyme Q cytochrome c reductase deficiency Colchicine toxicity Concussion Congenital hepatic porphyria Congenital nonhemolytic jaundice Cope's syndrome Corn Lily poisoning Coumaphos Crack addiction Cresols Cresylic acid Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Crigler-Najjar syndrome type 1 Cryptococcal Meningitis Cryptococcosis Cushing syndrome Cyanogenic glycoside Cyclohexanone Cysticercosis Daphne poisoning Darvocet overdose DDD DDT Dehydration Demerol overdose Demeton-S-methyl Devil's trumpet poisoning Dexedrine overdose Dextromethorphan toxicity

Diabetic hypoglycemia Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diazinon Dibromochloromethane Dichlorvos Dicrotophos Dieldrin Diethylene Glycol Digitalis glycoside Dilaudid overdose Dilutional hyponatremia Dinitrocresol Dioxathion Disequilibrium syndrome Dissociative Amnesia Dissociative disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder Disulfiram Disulfoton Dobriner syndrome Dysbarism Ecstasy addiction Ecstasy overdose Ehrlichiosis End Stage Liver Failure Endosulfan End-stage renal disease Epidemic typhus Epidermoid carcinoma Ethion Ethylene Glycol Dinitrate Fensulfothion Fentanyl toxicity Fenthion Flea-borne diseases Folate deficiency Foxglove poisoning Fungal meningitis Gasoline Glaze Glycol Ether Graeck-Imerslund disease Grand mal epilepsy Grand mal seizures Granulomatous amebic encephalitis Hashimoto's encephalitis Head injury Heroin dependence High altitude cerebral edema High Melting Explosive (HMX) HIV/AIDS Hydrazine Hydrocodone overdose Hydroquinone Hydroquinone Hyperbaric oxygen Hypercalcemia Hyperemesis Gravidarum Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome Hyperinsulinism Hyperparathyroidism Hypervitaminoses A and D Hypoglycemia Hypomagnesemia Hyponatremia Hypophosphatemia Hypothermia Hypovolemia Impramine toxicity Inborn urea cycle disorder Insulinoma Interferon gamma Isofenphos Jet Fuel-4 Jet Fuel-5 Jimsonweed (Daturastramonium) Kentucky coffee tea poisoning Kerosene Kidney failure King Cobra poisoning Lead poisoning Legionnaires' disease Leukemia Leukoencephalopathy Limbic encephalitis Listeriosis Liver failure Lobeline Lorazepam overdose Lortab overdose Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Lysteria monocytoigeneses meningitis Machupo virus Malaria Malathion Marburg virus Marijuana abuse Measles Encephalitis Melioidosis Meningitis Meningococcal disease Mercury poisoning Metabolic Acidosis Metabolic encephalopathy

Methadone overdose Methamphetamine overdose Methidathion Methiocarb Methomyl Metobromuron Milk-Alkali syndrome Monkshood poisoning Morphine toxicity Multi-Infarct Dementia Multiple Myeloma Mustard tree poisoning Nabilone N-acetyl glutamate synthetase deficiency Naegleria Naphthalene Narcotic addiction Neurocysticercosis Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Neurosarcoidosis Neurosyphilis Nickel Carbonyl Nipah virus encephalitis Nitrobenzene Nitroglycerin Nitrophenol Nitrophenol Urea NN-Dimethyl-P-Toluidine Nocardiosis Nonaffective Psychosis Nutritional deficiency Oil-based paint Oleander poisoning Opioid toxicity Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency Oxycodone addiction Parathion Paratyphoid fever Pediatric AIDS Pellagra Phencyclidine Phenytoin toxicity Phosdrin Phosphine Plague Plasma cell leukemia Postoperative haemorrhage Postoperative respiratory failure Postoperative septicaemia potato(Solanumtuberosum) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis Prion diseases Profenofos Propane Propanol Propoxur Propylene Glycol Dinitrate Pyridoxine deficiency Q fever Rabies Respiratory acidosis Respiratory alkalosis Respiratory depression Reye's Syndrome Ritalin overdose Rocky Mountain spotted fever Schizoaffective disorder Serotonin Syndrome Shock SIADH Sick sinus syndrome Snake bite Stroke Subdural hematoma Sundown syndrome Terbufos Tetrachloroethane Tetraethyl Pyrophosphate Thallium Thallium poisoning Thallium Sulfate Thiram Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura Tick-borne encephalitis Tolterodine toxicity Toluene Toxemia Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxoplasmosis Tramadol toxicity Transient Ischemic Attack Traumatic Brain Injury Trichlorfon Trypanosomiasis Urea Cycle Disorders Uremic encephalopathy Vicodin overdose Water Intoxication Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome WDHA syndrome Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome Wernicke's encephalopathy Yellow fever Zolpidem overdose Zolpidem withdrawal