Delirium
Delirium: Introduction
Further information about Delirium is below, or review more specific
information about these types of Delirium:
delirium tremens, Level of consciousness, decreased, Unresponsiveness, Reduced alertness
or other types.
A person with delirium has little in the way of rational consciousness.
There is no ability to carry on a conversation in any coherent manner,
and indeed a delirious person may not even know you are there.
True delirium needs to be distinguished from other symptoms
such as dementia, delusions, hallucinations, psychosis
or dissociation symptoms.
» Review Causes of Delirium:
full list
Causes of Delirium:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Delirium.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
- High fever - A high fever, especially in children or the elderly, can evoke hallucinations, consciousness changes, or dream-like states that resemble delirious mental states. Requires urgent medical attention.
- Mental and emotional conditions:
- Dehydration
- Postoperative stress
- Mental stress
- Mental exhaustion
- Certain infections (see Infection)
- Toxic causes of delirium include:
- Hypoglycemia
- Brain disorders
- more causes...»
See full list of 365
causes of Delirium
» Review Causes of Delirium:
full list
Causes of Types of Delirium:
Review the causes of these more specific types of Delirium:
Review causes of types of Delirium in more specific categories:
Review causes of more specific types of Delirium:
See full list of 7
types for Delirium
Delirium: Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Delirium, as listed in our database.
Visit the Symptom Checker,
to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
Symptom Checker
Symptom Checker
See full list of 3622
Symptom Checker combinations related to Delirium
Delirium Treatments
Review information on Delirium Treatments.
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Delirium
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Delirium:
Diagnostic Guides for Delirium
Medical Books Excerpts
Read excertps from published book sections related to Delirium
from the following published medical books
for more detailed information about Delirium.
Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Delirium
Medical Books Excerpts
- DEMENTIA
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- SYNCOPE
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- DELIRIUM
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Delirium
- "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- SYNCOPE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- DELIRIUM
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Agitation
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Confusion
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
- [ read ]
- Dementia*
- "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
- [ read ]
- Agitation
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Confusion
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Confusion
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Dementia
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Delirium
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Agitation
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Confusion
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Agitation
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Confusion
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Syncope
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- SYNCOPE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- DELIRIUM
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Misdiagnosis and Delirium
Underactive thryoid may be misdiagnosed as depression: Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is an endocrine gland disorder that
is more...read more »
Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for
a patient to show mental decline to dementia.
Whereas this can, of course, occur due to...read more »
Dementia to be spotted early on: Dementia is an important diagnosis to consider in the
elderly. A vigorous search for a possible cause of dementia is warranted since
there are significant numbers of reversible conditions. It is...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Delirium
Diagnostic tests for Delirium:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Delirium. Some of these are listed below :
See full list of 24
diagnostic tests for Delirium
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Delirium.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you noticed the delirium? - to determine if acute or chronic. Delirium is an acute confusional state due to many causes e.g. infection, drug intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, liver failure, kidney failure, hypoxia (reduced oxygen levels in the blood), low blood sugar, stroke, heart attack or head injury. If the onset is chronic a diagnosis of dementia may be more likely.
- What are the symptoms of the delirium? - e.g. impaired conscious level with onset over hours or days, disorientation in time and/or place, unusually quite, drowsy, agitated, delusions, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations.
- At what time of the day are the symptoms worse? - e.g. symptoms worse in the late afternoon and at night are typical of delirium.
- Was there a known precipitating factor to the delirium symptoms? - e.g. physical illness, recent surgery, starting a different medication, abstaining from alcohol.
- History of head injury? - may suggest subdural haematoma, extradural haematoma or concussion.
- more questions...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Delirium (19
listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition.
The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Delirium) may include:
- Symptoms of dementia? - e.g. impaired memory, impaired judgement and thinking, impaired verbal fluency and impaired ability to perform complex tasks. Personality may change, impulse control may be lost and personal care deteriorates. If onset is chronic consider diagnosis of dementia.
- Symptoms of depression and anxiety? - Depression may exhibit many of the features of delirium and early dementia, especially memory impairment, slowed thinking and lack of spontaneity.
- Fever? - can suggest any infection that may cause delirium or meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess or brain hemorrhage.
- Symptoms of stroke? - e.g. limb weakness or paralysis, facial muscle weakness or paralysis, difficulty with speech and swallow.
- Headache? - may suggest brain cancer or acute stroke.
- more symptoms...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Delirium (19
listings)
Stories from Users for Delirium
Real-life user stories relating to Delirium:
Symptom specific forums:
The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards
relate to Delirium or relevant symptoms:
Videos for Delirium
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See full list of 4 related videos
Patient Surveys for Delirium
Causes of Delirium listed in Disease Database:
Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible
causes of Delirium as a symptom include:
See full list of 365
causes of Delirium
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Medications or substances causing Delirium:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Delirium as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 91
medications causing Delirium
Drug interactions causing Delirium:
When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react
causing Delirium as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
- Parnate and tranylcypromine sulfate interaction
- Amitriptyline and monoamine oxidase inhibitor interaction
- Clomipramine and monoamine oxidase inhibitor interaction
- Dothiepin and monoamine oxidase inhibitor interaction
- Doxepin and monoamine oxidase inhibitor interaction
- Mianserin and monoamine oxidase inhibitor interaction
- more interactions...»
See full list of 271
drug interactions causing Delirium
Definitions of Delirium:
Delirium: , pl. deliria An altered state of consciousness, consisting of confusion, distractibility, disorientation, disordered thinking and memory, defective perception (illusions and hallucinations), prominent hyperactivity, agitation, and autonomic nervous system overactivity; caused by illness, medication, or toxic, structural, and metabolic disorders. [L. fr. deliro, to be crazy, fr. de- + lira, a furrow (i.e., go out of the furrow)]
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Disorder characterized by confusion, inattentiveness, disorientation, illusions, hallucinations, agitation and in some instances autonomic nervous system overactivity; may result from toxic or metabolic conditions or structural brain lesions; condition may also be acute and reversible.
- (Source - Diseases Database)
State of violent mental agitation
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Disorder characterized by confusion, inattentiveness, disorientation, illusions, hallucinations, agitation and in some instances autonomic nervous system overactivity; may result from toxic or metabolic conditions or structural brain lesions; condition may also be acute and reversible.
- (Source - CRISP)
Organs affected by Delirium:
The list of organs typically affected by Delirium may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Delirium
The list below shows some of the causes of Delirium mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 365
causes of Delirium
How Common are these Causes of Delirium?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases,
not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Delirium.
Of the 365
causes of Delirium that
we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 2
causes are "very common" diseases
- 5
causes are "common" diseases
- 5
causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 0
causes are "rare" diseases
- 16
causes are "very rare" diseases
- 349
causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 365
causes of Delirium
Conditions listing symptoms: Delirium:
The following list of conditions
have 'Delirium' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
A
Acid-Base Imbalance
... deliriumAcute Bokhoror
... deliriumAcute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
... deliriumAcute liver failure
... deliriumAcute VE
... deliriumAcute Viliuisk Encephalitis
... deliriumAcute Viliuisk Encephalomyelitis
... deliriumAcute Vilyuisk Encephalitis
... deliriumAcute Vilyuisk Encephalomyelitis
... deliriumAdvanced circadian rhythm disorder
... reduced alertnessAdverse reaction to chemical - 1-Propanol
... deliriumAlcohol Withdrawal
... delirium tremensAlcohol-Induced Disorders
... deliriumAlcoholism
... delirium tremensAnticholinergic syndrome
... deliriumApallic syndrome
... unresponsiveAppian-Plutarch syndrome
... deliriumArgentinean hemorrhagic fever
... deliriumAzotemia, famial
... reduced alertnessB
Blood cancer
... deliriumBolivian hemorrhagic fever
... deliriumBox thorn poisoning
... deliriumBrill disease
... deliriumBubonic plague
... deliriumC
Chemical poisoning - Carbon Tetrachloride
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Chlordane
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Ethylene Glycol Dinitrate
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Hydroquinone
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Nickel Carbonyl
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Nitroglycerin
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Phencyclidine
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Thallium
... deliriumChemical poisoning - Thallium Sulfate
... deliriumChicken soup poisoning
... deliriumChristmas Cherry poisoning
... deliriumCirrhosis of the liver
... unresponsivenessCocaine abuse
... deliriumColchicine toxicity
... deliriumCongenital hepatic porphyria
... deliriumD
Daphne poisoning
... deliriumDelirium tremens
... deliriumDementia With Lewy Bodies
... acute confusionDevil's trumpet poisoning
... deliriumE
Ecstasy overdose
... deliriumElectrolyte abnormality
... deliriumElephant's-ear poisoning
... deliriumEncephalitis
... poor responsivenessEnd Stage Liver Failure
... deliriumEpidemic typhus
... deliriumF
Flea-borne diseases
... DeliriumFoxglove poisoning
... deliriumH
Herbal Agent adverse reaction - Pennyroyal Oil
... deliriumHerbal Agent overdose - Wormwood
... deliriumHyperparathyroidism
... deliriumI
Inborn urea cycle disorder
... deliriumJ
Japanese pagoda tree poisoning
... deliriumL
Legionnaires' disease
... deliriumLhermitte-McAlpine syndrome
... deliriumM
Malaria
... deliriumMarburg virus
... deliriumMarijuana overdose
... deliriumMeningitis
... reduced alertness, alertness changesMeningococcal disease
... alertness changes, deliriumMercury poisoning - consumption of contaminated fish
... deliriumMercury poisoning - Folk Remedies
... deliriumMethylmalonicacidemia with homocystinuria, cbl D
... deliriumMicrocephaly brain defect spasticity hypernatremia
... unresponsivenessMixed connective tissue disease
... DeliriumN
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
... deliriumO
Oleander poisoning
... deliriumP
Persistent Vegetative State
... lack of awareness of the environment, lack of responsePlague
... deliriumPlant poisoning - Angel's trumpet (D. suaveolans)
... deliriumPlant poisoning - Digitalis glycoside
... deliriumPlant poisoning - Hydroquinone
... deliriumPlant poisoning - Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
... deliriumPlant poisoning - potato (Solanum tuberosum)
... deliriumPoisoning
... DeliriumProblem Sleepiness
... slow responseR
Rabies
... deliriumReye's Syndrome
... deliriumRocky Mountain spotted fever
... deliriumS
Schizoaffective disorder
... DeliriumSerotonin Syndrome
... deliriumSleep dept
... reduced alertnessT
Texas Mescalbean poisoning
... deliriumThallium poisoning
... DeliriumTolterodine toxicity
... deliriumToxic mushrooms - Anticholinergic
... deliriumToxic mushrooms - Monomethylhydrazine
... deliriumTyphoid fever
... deliriumU
Unconsciousness
... unresponsivenessUrea Cycle Disorders
... DeliriumV
Vancomycin resistant enterococcal bacteremia
... DeliriumVicodin overdose
... unresponsivenessViral Hemorrhagic Fevers
... DeliriumViral meningitis
... reduced alertness, alertness changesW
White snakeroot poisoning
... deliriumY
Yellow fever
... delirium
Conditions listing complications: Delirium:
The following list of conditions
have 'Delirium' or similar
listed as a complication in our database.
The distinction between a symptom and complication is not always clear,
and conditions mentioning this symptom as a complication may also be relevant.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
A
Alcohol Withdrawal
... delirium tremens, deliriumB
Bing-Neel syndrome
... deliriumBubonic plague
... deliriumC
Cirrhosis of the liver
... unresponsivenessG
Gangrene
... deliriumGastroenteritis
... deliriumH
Hyperparathyroidism
... deliriumHypophosphatemia
... deliriumT
Typhoid fever
... deliriumV
Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
... deliriumY
Yellow fever
... delirium
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Causes of Delirium Based on Risk Factors
This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Delirium based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Travel - has the patient travelled recently?
Diabetes - history of diabetes or family history of diabetes?
Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Delirium?
Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Delirium, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :
What are the alternative names for Delirium:
Acute confusional state, Acute brain failure, Acute brain syndrome, Delerium
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Classifications of Delirium:
Subtypes of Delirium:
Delirium tremens (2 causes), Level of consciousness, decreased, Unresponsiveness (14 causes), Reduced alertness (5 causes)
Medical Conditions associated with Delirium:
Confusion (601 causes), Behavioral symptoms (3957 causes)
Symptoms related to Delirium:
Dementia (192 causes), Syncope (1549 causes), Stupor (64 causes), Coma (216 causes), Alcoholism, Alcohol withdrawal, Delirium tremens (2 causes), Wernicke's encephalopathy, Certain poisons, Drug overdose, Drug withdrawal, Substance intoxication, Marijuana
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
Medical News summaries about Delirium
Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Delirium and many other medical conditions:
News Archives for Delirium
Medical news articles related to Delirium include:
Source: HealthDay News
Related medical articles from our Disease Center for Delirium:
More Ways To Research Medical Signs and Symptoms:
» Next page: Causes of Delirium
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