Open AccessCLINICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PATIENTS WITH DELIRIUM
Author(s) -
Giulia Isadora Cenci,
Daniel Varela,
Fábio Pacheco Martins,
Caroline Calice da Silva
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
dementia and neuropsychologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.54
H-Index - 21
ISSN - 1980-5764
DOI - 10.5327/1980-5764.rpda081
Subject(s) - delirium , polypharmacy , dementia , medicine , medical record , incidence (geometry) , epidemiology , population , psychiatry , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , emergency medicine , disease , physics , environmental health , optics
Background: Considering that Delirium is a very common neuropsychiatric disorder, it is very important that the characteristics and clinical evolution of patients who develop the condition are thoroughly known. Objective: Describe the clinical profile of patients with Delirium in order to help in the discernment of the most prevalent risk factors and the characteristics of involvement of Delirium. Methods: Descriptive, quantitative and prospective study, which analyzed epidemiological and medical history data, collected through interviews and data from medical records in a tertiary hospital, from March to June 2021. Results: The sample consisted of 5 individuals, with a mean age of 74.2 years, with a predominance of males. All of them had previous comorbidities and forty percent had previous dementia. Among the interviewees, only one presented the development of the Delirium condition as a reason for admission, the majority (80%) was hospitalized for other clinical conditions and developed Delirium only after admission. It was observed that a large part of the sample (60%) was in polypharmacy, and the only individuals with Delirium under 60 years old used 5 or more medications and had HIV infection. Conclusion: The most effective way to reduce the incidence rates of Delirium, improve the prognosis and assist in early diagnosis is through the recognition of associated factors and the characteristics of the most affected population, in order to identify individuals at risk and be able to promote more targeted prevention strategies.