Delirium
Delirium is a serious disturbance in a patient’s mental
ability, resulting in confused thinking and reduced awareness of their environment.
Typically, the onset of delirium occurs rapidly, often within a few days.
Delirium can be traced to one or more contributing factors, such as a severe or
chronic medical illness; changes in metabolic balance, such as low sodium;
medications; infection; surgery; or dehydration/malnutrition.
To combat the incidence of delirium, MHA
developed a delirium detection, prevention and management road map that provide a comprehensive set of best practices incorporating research and
learnings from national and local efforts.