Delirium News and Research

RSS

Delirium is a mental state in which a person is confused, disoriented, and not able to think or remember clearly. The person may also be agitated and have hallucinations, and extreme excitement.

Study: Delirium, muscle weakness and other neurological complications of sepsis poorly understood

Delirium, muscle weakness and other neurological complications of sepsis often are overlooked and poorly understood, according to a study published in the journal Current Neurology and Neurosciences Reports.

16 Feb 2016

New article provides guidance on managing critically ill patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal adds challenges to caring for critically ill patients, and nurses must be diligent at each stage of care to minimize complications, according to an article in the February issue of Critical Care Nurse.

3 Feb 2016

Anticholinergic medications may not be best option for dementia patients in rehab facility

During rehabilitation following an acute hospital stay, medications that block neurotransmitters may be overprescribed to older patients suffering from delirium superimposed on dementia, according to health researchers.

29 Jan 2016

Mayo Clinic study finds no association between surgical anesthesia and development of MCI later in life

A Mayo Clinic study of people who received anesthesia for surgery after age 40 found no association between the anesthesia and development of mild cognitive impairment later in life. Mild cognitive impairment is a stage between the normal cognitive decline of aging and dementia.

20 Jan 2016

1 in 10 veterans and civilian patients experiences new ICU-related PTSD up to one year after discharge

One in ten patients is at risk of having new post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their ICU experience up to a year post-discharge. This was the finding from a multicenter, prospective cohort research study of veterans and civilians.

11 Jan 2016

New perioperative guideline released for optimal management of geriatric patients

Responding to the needs of the country's growing older adult population, a new collaborative best practices guideline was released today for optimal care of older adults immediately before, during, and after surgical operations (a timeframe known as the "perioperative" period).

5 Jan 2016

RNs more likely than LPNs to identify high-risk medication discrepancies in nursing homes

Nearly 66 percent of all adverse events experienced by nursing home residents, such as falls, delirium and hallucinations, could be prevented, in part, by monitoring medication more closely. In nursing homes, both registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) perform medication reconciliation, a safety practice during which health care professionals review patients' medications to reduce the likelihood of preventable adverse drug events.

15 Dec 2015

Identifying and avoiding wasteful or unnecessary medical tests

Too many tests at the doctor's office could cost you more than just dollars. In addition to the huge hit to your wallet, there's also the potential harm of false positives, and just because a test has traditionally been done for a condition doesn't mean it's the best way to treat it.

13 Dec 2015

Project sets out to explore impact of solutions that involve patient-oriented intensive care environment

The project sets out to study the impact of solutions that involve a patient-oriented intensive care environment, and avoid the use of additional medication.

23 Nov 2015

Collaborative approach could help reduce hospital readmissions due to falls in older adults

A comprehensive care program that involves a team of specialists from multiple medical disciplines for treating injuries sustained from falls in older adults could help reduce hospital readmissions, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

18 Nov 2015

AACR rapid and dramatic responses in TRK fusion patients

Loxo Oncology, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced new results from its Phase 1 open-label, dose-escalation trial of LOXO-101, a selective inhibitor of tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) signaling molecules, and the first preclinical data for its RET and FGFR programs. The data are being presented at the 2015 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Boston.

9 Nov 2015

Multimodal non-invasive neurological monitoring reduces postoperative delirium in older cardiac patients

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at an increased risk of developing delirium and other changes in cognitive function in the days following surgery. However, new research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2015 annual meeting, found using monitors to track depth of anesthesia and oxygenation levels in older patients' brains during cardiac surgery significantly reduced their incidence of postoperative delirium and associated cognitive decline.

28 Oct 2015

Boehringer Ingelheim announces FDA approval of Praxbind (idarucizumab)

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval of Praxbind (idarucizumab). PRAXBIND is indicated for patients treated with Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate mesylate), when reversal of the anticoagulant effects of dabigatran is needed for emergency surgery/urgent procedures or in life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding.

16 Oct 2015

AGS releases updated, expanded Beers Criteria to improve medication use in older adults

The American Geriatrics Society today released its second updated and expanded Beers Criteria--lists of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults who are not receiving hospice or palliative care, and one of the most frequently cited reference tools in the field of geriatrics.

12 Oct 2015

Benzodiazepines heighten risks for dementia and death

Patients taking benzodiazepines to treat psychiatric conditions should consider transitioning to other therapies because of heightened risks for dementia and death, according to clinicians from the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists.

6 Oct 2015

Terminally ill patients with certain subtypes of delirium show higher probability of imminent death

In cancer patients nearing the end of life, certain subtypes of delirium—specifically, hypoactive and "mixed" delirium—are a strong indicator that death will come soon, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society.

24 Sep 2015

New method may help nurses and doctors quickly identify delirium in hospitalized older adults

Asking just two questions may be able to help nurses and doctors quickly and easily identify delirium in hospitalized older adults, according to health researchers.

16 Sep 2015

Special issue provides update on mental health diagnosis and treatment of older adults

The aging of the population, shifting diagnostic criteria, and new health care policy initiatives are some of the factors driving changes in mental health treatment for older Americans, according to the September special issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

10 Sep 2015

Research reveals why older adults who undergo general anesthesia experience postoperative delirium

Newly published research from the Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine explains why up to half of older adults who undergo general anesthesia develop postoperative delirium - the sudden onset of confusion, aggression or agitated behavior that could progress to dementia. The findings indicate that older patients who are undergoing surgery may benefit from a less-potent, slower-acting anesthetic.

26 Aug 2015

MGH papers reveal the way anesthetics affect brains of older patients and children

Recent Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigations into the neurobiology underlying the effects of general anesthesia have begun to reveal the ways different anesthetic agents alter specific aspects of the brain's electrical signals, reflected by EEG (electroencephalogram) signatures. While those studies have provided information that may lead to improved techniques for monitoring the consciousness of patients receiving general anesthesia, until now they have been conducted in relatively young adult patients.

14 Aug 2015