Delirium increases chance of dementia and mortality
Elderly people who suffer a delirium (a period of acute confusion) while hospitalised in an intensive care unit, have a big chance to die, move into a nursing home or develop dementia within several years.
That is what a group of researchers, led by AMC associate professor in neurology Pim van Gool, says in an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a systematic review they analysed the results of all relevant studies on the subject from the last 25 years.
Van Gool thinks there should be a better follow-up of delirium patients and more focus on the long term health effects of delirium.
More information (in Dutch): AMC
