Delirium

Delirium is a condition which is temporary and usually occur suddenly, in which Symptoms? When My Lab Tests Are Normal: A Revolutionary from Disease: What Your Physician Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know [Book]” href=”http://www.dianners.com/2010/10/living-well-with-autoimmune-disease-what-your-doctor-doesnt-tell-you-that-you-need-to-know-book.htm”>Disease: The Breakthrough Approach to Preventing Cancer, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s, and Depression by Controlling Insulin [Book]” href=”http://www.dianners.com/2010/10/freedom-from-disease-the-breakthrough-approach-to-preventing-cancer-heart-disease-alzheimers-and-depression-by-controlling-insulin-book.htm”>Breakthrough In Understanding Hashimoto’s Disease: How Nitric Oxide Can Prevent–Even Reverse–Heart Disease and Strokes [Book]” href=”http://www.dianners.com/2010/10/no-more-heart-disease-how-nitric-oxide-can-prevent-even-reverse-heart-disease-and-strokes-book.htm”>Disease and Hypothyroidism [Book]” href=”http://www.dianners.com/2011/01/why-do-i-still-have-thyroid-symptoms-when-my-lab-tests-are-normal-a-revolutionary-breakthrough-in-understanding-hashimotos-disease-and-hypothyroidism-book.htm”>Disease: A Complete Guide for Patients and Families, Second Edition (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) [Book]” href=”http://www.dianners.com/2010/11/parkinsons-disease-a-complete-guide-for-patients-and-families-second-edition-a-johns-hopkins-press-health-book-book.htm”>patients experienced a decline in capability to concentrate and become dazed, disoriented and unable to think clearly.

Various conditions or illnesses (ranging from mild dehydration to drug toxicity or infection can be fatal), can cause delirium.

Causes of delirium:
# Alcohol, drugs and toxic substances
# Toxic effects of treatment
# Levels of electrolytes, salts and minerals (eg calcium, sodium or magnesium) is not normal due to medication, dehydration or certain diseases
# Acute infections with fever
# Hydrocephalus normal pressure, ie a say where the pillow brain fluid is not absorbed properly and near the brain
# Hematoma subdural, videlicet the collection of blood under the skull that can suppress the brain.
# Meningitis, encephalitis, syphilis (infectious disease that attacks the brain)
# Lack of thiamine and vitamin B12
# Hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism
# Tumors of the brain (some of them dazed and sometimes cause memory problems)
# Hip fracture and the long bones
# Function of the heart or lungs causing bad and low oxygen levels or high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood
# Stroke.

The main characteristic of delirium is not healthy to focus.
The patient can not concentrate, so they have difficulty in processing new information and can not remember the events that had just happened.

Almost all patients experienced disorientation of time and confusion with the place where they are.
Their minds confused, delirious, and there inkoherensia.

In severe cases, patients do not know themselves.
Some people experience paranoia and delusions (believing that was going on the things that strange).

Patient’s response to the difficulties it faces different; there is a very quiet and withdrawn, while others become hyperactive and tried to fight hallucinations and delusions experienced.

If the cause is drugs, then often behavioral changes. Drug toxicity causing the patient to sleep very quiet and withdrawn, whereas amphetamine poisoning causes sufferers to be aggressive and hyperactive.

Delirium can last for hours, days or even longer, depending on the weight of symptoms and patient medical environment.Delirium is often worse at night (a phenomenon known as the sun sets). In the end, the patient will sleep restless and might develop into coma (depending on the cause).

Diagnosis based on symptoms and determined the cause as soon as possible. A complete physical examination and focused on patient neurological response. Another Examination is usually conducted blood tests, X-rays and lumbar pungsi.

Treatment depends on the cause;
- Infection treated with antibiotics
- Fever lowering drugs overcome by heat
- Disorders of salt and mineral levels in the blood overcome by setting fluid and salt levels in the blood.

To alleviate the agitation given drugs benzodiazepines (eg diazepam, triazolam and temazepam).
Anti-psychosis (eg haloperidol, tioridazin and klorpromazin) is usually given only to patients who experienced paranoid or scared or patients who can not be comforted by benzodiazepines.
If the cause is alcohol, benzodiazepines given until the patient lost agitation.