Preventive Strategies to Reduce Intensive Care Unit Delirium

Abstract

Evidence-based interventions that aim to prevent the occurrence and/or reduce the duration of intensive care unit (ICU) delirium have the potential to dramatically improve both short- and long-term patient outcomes. While pharmacological efforts to mitigate delirium have not been successful, evidence suggests that it is possible to reduce the incidence and duration of ICU delirium through a number of multicomponent, interprofessional approaches. The ABCDEF bundle is a group of evidence-based interventions designed to limit the profound physical, cognitive, and/or mental health impairments associated with an ICU admission. The bundle targets many modifiable risk factors for delirium and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes even when delivered incompletely. The purpose of this chapter is to review the evidence for the effectiveness of delirium prevention interventions.