Delirium
Alternate Names : Acute Brain Syndrome, Acute Confusional State
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Delirium Symptoms & Signs
Delirium involves a rapid alternation between mental states (for example, from lethargy to agitation and back to lethargy), with attention disruption, disorganized thinking, disorientation, changes in sensation and perception, and other symptoms.
- attention disturbance (disrupted or wandering attention)
- inability to maintain goal directed, purposeful thinking or behavior
- inability to concentrate
- disorganized thinking, evidenced by
- incoherent speech
- inability to stop speech patterns or behaviors
- disorientation to time or place
- changes in sensation and perception (increases the disorientation)
- may precipitate illusions or hallucinations
-
altered level of consciousness or awareness
- altered sleep patterns, drowsiness
- alertness may vary, usually more alert in the morning, less alert at night (see drowsiness)
- decrease in short-term memory and recall
- unable to recall events since onset of delirium (anterograde amnesia)
- unable to recall past events (retrograde amnesia)
- changes in motor activities, movement (for example, may be lethargic or slow moving)
- movements triggered by changes in the nervous system (psychomotor restlessness)
- emotional or personality changes
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