Delirium risk factors

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vishal Khurana, M.B.B.S., M.D. [2]; Pratik Bahekar, MBBS [3]

Overview

Delirium is caused by variety of causes but likelihood of having delirium depends on various risk factors.

Risk Factors

Modifiable Risk Factors

• Sensory impairment (hearing or vision)
• Immobilization (catheters or restraints)
• Offending drugs (for example, sedative hypnotics, narcotics, anticholinergic drugs, corticosteroid, polypharmacy, withdrawal of alcohol or other drugs)
• Acute neurological pathology (for example, acute stroke [usually right parietal], intracranial hemorrhage, meningitis, encephalitis)
• Intercurrent illness (for example, infections, iatrogenic complications, severe acute illness, anemia, dehydration, poor nutritional status, fracture or trauma, HIV infection)
• Metabolic impairment
• Surgery
• Stressful surroundings (for example, admission to an intensive care unit)
• Pain
• Emotional stress
• Lack of sleep

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

• Cognitive impairment
• Older age (>65 years)
• History of delirium, stroke, neurological disease, falls or gait disorder
• Associating multiple medical aliments
• Gender: Male over females
• Renal or hepatic pathology