Delirium: a common preventable medical disorder in elderly patients

Abstract

Delirium is one of commonest unmet medical emergencies in clinical practice however, its role in increasing mortality, hospital admission and institutional placement in very obvious. In addition, a link was found between delirium and development of dementia based on the finding that significant number of delirious patients developed persistent cognitive impairment thereafter. Several factors can lead to delirium or aggravate it and consequently primary care physician should be aware by these factors keeping in mind that delirium is still a treatable condition if identified and managed appropriately and urgently.