Delirium is a serious change in brain function that affects up to 64% of older medical patients and up to 50% of older surgical patients. It can manifest as sudden confusion, agitation, memory loss or hallucinations and delusions. Estimated to cost the U.S. health care system as much as $182 billion annually, delirium is linked with longer hospital stays, complications and increased risks of dementia and death.
Researchers develop scoring tool to measure severity of delirium
Delirium is a serious change in brain function that affects up to 64% of older medical patients and up to 50% of older surgical patients. It can manifest as sudden confusion, agitation, memory loss or hallucinations and delusions. Estimated to cost the U.S. health care system as much as $182 billion annually, delirium is linked with longer hospital stays, complications and increased risks of dementia and death.