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Is there associated fever? Delirium with fever may simply indicate a self-limited infectious process, but it should bring to mind encephalitis and meningitis as well as cerebral abscess and cerebral ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Is there a history of drug or alcohol ingestion? Chronic barbiturate intoxication, ergotism, and other psychotropic or antidepressant drugs may cause dementia. Alcoholism may cause dementia in the form of Korsakoff's psychosis or Wernicke's ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Is there a history of drug or alcohol ingestion? Hallucinations are common during alcohol withdrawal but also may be noted in cocaine addiction, marijuana addiction, LSD intoxication, and PCP intoxication. ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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An acute confusional state caused by a disturbance in global cortical function. Features include disturbance of consciousness, change in cognition, fluctuations of symptoms, and evidence that the condition is secondary to an underlying medical condition... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Dementia is a syndrome of premature neuronal death in focal brain regions. More than 50 illnesses may cause dementia. It affects 1% of the population by age 60, and this prevalence doubles every 5 years to reach 30–50% by age 85. Common findings include aphasia (language disorder of... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Hallucinations are psychotic symptoms in which patients perceive stimuli that do not exist. Any of the five senses (auditory, visual, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory) may be involved, with auditory hallucinations being the most common. Patients may... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Delirium is an alteration in consciousness that can be associated with hallucinations, disorientation, and delusions. Normal thought processes are altered, including judgment, and rational behavior may be lost. Causes are typically metabolic derangements, acute infections,... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Hallucinations are defined as perceptual experiences that do not occur in reality. They may be auditory (most common), visual, tactile, or olfactory.
Differential Diagnosis
... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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... The differential diagnosis of delirium is very similar to that for coma and one finds the mnemonic VINDICATE useful in this regard.
V—Vascular disorders of the brain including hemorrhage, embolism, thrombosis, and arteriosclerosis may cause delirium.
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... A hallucination is seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that is not there. Auditory hallucinations without evidence of mental deterioration usually indicate schizophrenia, but epilepsy, drug toxicity, and brain tumors must be excluded. Visual
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... Memory loss is a real symptom and sign, but organic brain syndrome should be dropped from usage because it is a wastebasket term. Unless the memory loss is functional (“supratentorial"), the cerebrum is the principal anatomic site of diseases that produce memory loss. Applying
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... A decrease in the level of consciousness (LOC), from lethargy to stupor to coma, usually results from a neurologic disorder and may signal a life-threatening complication, such as hemorrhage, trauma, or cerebral edema. However, this sign can also result from a... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Pictures
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... Agitation refers to a state of hyperarousal, increased tension, and irritability that can lead to confusion, hyperactivity, and overt hostility. Agitation can result from a toxic (poisons), metabolic, or infectious cause; brain injury; or a psychiatric disorder. It... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations
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... An umbrella term for puzzling or inappropriate behavior or responses, confusion is the inability to think quickly and coherently. Depending on the cause, it may arise suddenly or gradually and may be temporary or irreversible. Aggravated by stress and sensory... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations
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... Degenerative diseases
Alzheimer's disease
Cerebral arteriosclerosis, multiple cerebrovascular accidents
Pick
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... The patient with alcohol-related disorder experiences a need for the daily intake of large amounts of alcohol for day-to-day functioning. A regular pattern of heavy drinking limited to weekends, with periods of sobriety between weekends, also suggests a pattern of abuse. People with these... Causes and incidence ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... A decrease in level of consciousness (LOC), from lethargy to stupor to coma, usually results from a neurologic disorder and may signal a life-threatening complication, such as hemorrhage, trauma, or cerebral edema. However, this sign can also result from... Emergency Interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Pictures
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... Agitation refers to a state of hyperarousal, increased tension, and irritability that can lead to confusion, hyperactivity, and overt hostility. Agitation can result from a toxic (poisons), metabolic, or infectious cause; brain injury; and psychiatric and various... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers
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... An umbrella term for puzzling or inappropriate behavior or responses, confusion is the inability to think quickly and coherently. Depending on its cause, confusion may arise suddenly or gradually and may be temporary or irreversible. Aggravated by stress and sensory... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers
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... Mark W. Nickels
Acute confusional states represent an etiologically diverse spectrum of disorders that may involve alterations in thinking, perception, memory, orientation, or attention. In addition, present may be physiologic changes, alterations in sleep... Approach ... History ... Physical examination ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment
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... Linda P. Shields
Delirium, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition criterion (1), is a condition involving an acute confusional state recognized by the patient’s change in consciousness,... Approach. ... History ... Physical examination. ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment.
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... Anne Cather Cutlip
Dementia is characterized by a progressive cognitive decline leading to social or occupational disability occurring in a state of clear consciousness. It has an age-dependent epidemiology, occurring in 8% of patients aged 65 years and... Approach. ... History. ... Physical examination. ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment.
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... Differential Overview
❑ Alzheimer disease
❑ Multi-infarct dementia
❑ Depression
❑ Drugs ... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings ... Pictures
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... Differential Overview
Systemic
❑ Drugs/toxins
❑ Sepsis
❑ Hypoglycemia
❑ Hypercalcemia ... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings ... Pictures
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... A decrease in level of consciousness (LOC), from lethargy to stupor to coma, usually results from a neurologic disorder and may signal a life-threatening complication, such as hemorrhage, trauma, or cerebral edema. However, this sign can also result... Assessment ... History ... Physical examination ... Pediatric pointers ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... A decrease in level of consciousness (LOC), which can range from lethargy to stupor to coma, usually results from a neurologic disorder and may signal a life-threatening complication, such as hemorrhage, trauma, or cerebral edema. However, this sign can also result from... Emergency Actions ... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Agitation refers to a state of hyperarousal, increased tension, and irritability that can lead to confusion, hyperactivity, and overt hostility. Agitation can result from a toxic (poisons), metabolic, or infectious cause; brain injury; or a psychiatric disorder. It can... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... An umbrella term for puzzling or inappropriate behavior or responses, confusion is the inability to think quickly and coherently. Depending on its cause, confusion may arise suddenly or gradually and may be temporary or irreversible. Aggravated... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... A decrease in the level of consciousness (LOC), from lethargy to stupor to coma, usually results from a neurologic disorder and may signal a life-threatening complication, such as hemorrhage, trauma, or cerebral edema. However, this sign can... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Agitation refers to a state of hyperarousal, increased tension, and irritability that can lead to confusion, hyperactivity, and overt hostility. It can result from a toxic (poisons), metabolic, or infectious cause; brain injury; or a psychiatric disorder. Agitation can also result from... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching
... READ EXCERPTS »
... An umbrella term for puzzling or inappropriate behavior or responses, confusion is the inability to think quickly and coherently. Depending on the cause, it may arise suddenly or gradually and may be temporary or irreversible. Aggravated by stress and sensory deprivation,... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching
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A hallucination is seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting
something that is not there. Auditory hallucinations without evidence of
mental deterioration usually indicate schizophrenia, but epilepsy, drug
toxicity, and brain tumors must be
... READ EXCERPTS »
...
Memory loss is a real symptom and sign, but organic brain syndrome
should be dropped from usage because it is a wastebasket term. Unless the
memory loss is functional (“supratentorial”), the cerebrum is the
principal... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
...
The differential diagnosis of delirium is very similar to that for
coma, and one finds the mnemonic VINDICATE useful in this regard.
V—Vascular disorders of the brain including hemorrhage, embolism,
thrombosis,
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Robert J. Hoffman, MD Acute Drug Withdrawal - BASICS Acute Drug Withdrawal - description Drug withdrawal is a physiologic response to an effectively lowered drug concentration in a patient with tolerance to that drug. ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - DIAGNOSIS ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - TREATMENT ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - FOLLOW UP ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - bibliography ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - CODES ... Acute Drug Withdrawal - PATIENT TEACHING-MED
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For the millions of Americans that suffer from alcoholism, accepting their diagnosis is an important first step. But making it through treatment can...
Most people know that alcohol abuse can cause liver damage. But what exactly does alcohol do to your liver? And how much alcohol puts you at risk?...
Alcoholism is a devastating disease for anyone who suffers from it. But it can also take a terrible toll on the families involved. Join us for a...
For all alcoholics, therapy is essential. But it's not always enough. For these patients, there is a variety of medications available to help...