risk factors for delirium
Last edited 04/2018
Risk factors of delirium can be divided into:
- predisposing factors
- comorbidities
- alcoholism
- chronic pain
- history of baseline lung, liver, kidney, heart or brain disease
- terminal illness
- demographic factors
- age older than 65 years
- male sex
- geriatric syndrome
- dementia
- depression
- elder abuse
- falls
- history of delirium
- malnutrition
- polypharmacy
- pressure ulcers
- premorbid state
- inactivity
- poor functional status
- social isolation
- precipitating factors
- acute insults
- dehydration
- fracture
- infection
- ischemia – cerebral, cardiac
- medications
- metabolic derangements
- poor nutrition
- severe illness
- shock
- surgery
- uncontrolled pain
- environmental exposure
- ICU setting
- sleep deprivation
- delirium-inducing medications
- high risk
- anticholinergics - e.g., antihistamines, muscle relaxants, antipsychotics)
- benzodiazepines
- dopamine agonists
- moderate to low risk
- antibiotics (e.g., quinolones, antimalarials, isoniazid, linezolid [Zyvox], macrolides)
- anticonvulsants
- antihypertensives (e.g., beta blockers, clonidine
- sedatives/hypnotics
- tricyclic antidepressants
- low-potency antihistamines (e.g., histamine H2 blockers, urinary and gastrointestinal antispasmodics) (1)
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