Synonyms
Acute brain failure; Acute brain syndrome; Acute confusional state; Intensive care unit psychosis; Metabolic encephalopathy
Definition
Delirium is a common and often serious neuropsychiatric complication in the management of medically ill patients. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, causing distress in patients, family members, and staff (Breitbart and Alici 2008). It is characterized by an abrupt onset of disturbances of attention or awareness that is accompanied by a change in baseline cognition that cannot be better explained by a preexisting or evolving neurocognitive disorder. The disturbance represents a change from baseline level of attention and awareness and tends to fluctuate in severity during the course of a day. It is a sign of significant physiological disturbance, usually involving multiple medical etiologies, including infection, organ failure, and adverse effects of medication (APA 1999, 2000, 2013).
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Breitbart, W., Alici, Y. (2014). Delirium. In: Stolerman, I., Price, L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27772-6_245-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27772-6_245-3
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