BIOL 235 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Astrocyte, Sepsis, Sleep Deprivation
Document Summary
Delerium - acute decline in the cognitive processes of the brain - namely attention & cognition. Most commonly associated with hospitalized patients aged 65 years & older. Cognitive function fluctuates throughout the day - why it"s so under-diagnosed. Inattention, disorganized thinking, changes in level of consciousness, disorientation, delusions & perceptual disturbances. 2/3 cases go unreported because levels of delirium can fluctuate throughout the day, there"s a wide range of symptoms & patient characteristics, & physicians diagnose it under numerous different names. Linked to poor clinical outcomes - although in the past was considered harmless. Marker for severe illness and mortality - 1 year mortality rate of 35-40% Delirium complicates the hospital stays of 20% of patients over the age of 65. Initiates a cascade of pathophysiological changes that lead to: Yet, only 40% of health care workers routinely screen for delirium in at risk patients. Occurs abruptly, usually over a period of hours or days.
