Delirium is an acute cognitive disorder that presents with alterations in levels of consciousness accompanied by a change in cognition or perceptual disturbance that develops over a short period (hours to days) and fluctuates over time. For almost 2 decades, it has been recognized that the occurrence of delirium has significant impact on outcomes in critically ill patients. The importance of early detection and management of delirium has been stressed in Societal guideline statements and in knowledge implementation resources (www.iculiberation.org). However, effective treatments to reduce duration and associated mortality have been limited. This is likely, in part, due to a lack of detailed understanding of the mechanisms that subtend this important neurobehavioral syndrome.

Read More