Hospitals are reporting an increase in the number of patients who are affected by hospital delirium, according to a recent article in The New York Times.
Delirium, which results in hallucinations, disorientation, and psychotic thoughts in patients, usually affects those over age 70. The cause is unknown, though believed triggers include infections, surgery, pneumonia, and other procedures that spur anxiety. Other possible causes include some medications, interrupted sleep, and isolation. Patients are usually in intensive care or post surgery.
At one point, doctors dismissed hospital delirium, especially among the elderly, but research shows it has significant side effects, including increased recovery times and longer hospitalizations. After a patient experiences hospital delirium, he is more often placed in nursing homes or rehabilitation centers, and may develop dementia later. Delirium can even lead to death, through weakening of patients and complications such as blood clots.
According to the article, delirium is often misdiagnosed as confusion or inappropriate behavior, making it difficult to treat. However, as a result of the increase in cases, some hospitals are adopting delirium prevention programs to make patients feel more comfortable by adjusting their schedules, sleep patterns, and removing equipment like catheters and intravenous lines whenever possible.
View Hallucinations in Hospital Pose Risk to Elderly in its entirety.
