Acute Medicine | Medicine of the elderly | Investigation and management of acute confusion

Investigation and management of acute confusion
Session overview
Description
This session focuses on the recognition, investigation and management of delirium. It also identifies common illnesses that might be confused with delirium and highlights prevention techniques.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• define and describe delirium
• recognise the causes of delirium and identify risk factors
• select appropriate investigation pathways to confirm diagnosis
• identify treatment for delirium
• list prevention techniques

Acute confusional states are better known as delirium. This is a clinical diagnosis.

NICE and the American Psychiatric Association provide these definitions of delirium:

NICE

American Psychiatric Association (APA)