Delirium differential diagnosis
|
Delirium Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Delirium On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Delirium |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vishal Khurana, M.B.B.S., M.D. [2]
Overview
Common usage of the term versus standard medical usage
In common usage, delirium is often used to refer to drowsiness and disorientation. In broader medical terminology, however, a number of other symptoms, including sudden inability of focus attention, and even (occasionally) sleeplessness and severe agitation and irritability, are also defined as "delirium."
There are several medical definitions of delirium (including those in the DSM-IV and ICD-10). However, all include some core features.
The core features are:
- Disturbance of consciousness (that is, reduced clarity of awareness of the environment, with reduced ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention)
- Change in cognition (e.g., problem-solving impairment or memory impairment) or a perceptual disturbance
- Onset of hours to days, and tendency to fluctuate.
Common features also tend to include:
- Intrusive abnormalities of awareness and affect, such as hallucinations or inappropriate emotional states.