Delirium vs. Dementia

Last Updated: December 17, 2019Heres a pop quiz from your friendly online geriatrician:
What health problem is extremely common, has serious implications for a seniors health and well-being, and can often but not always be prevented?Its delirium.In my opinion, this is one of the most important senior health problems for caregivers to know about since families can be integral to preventing and detecting this condition.In this article, Ill explain just what delirium is and how it compares to dementia.

Then, Ill share ten things you should know and what you can do.What Are the Symptoms and Causes of Delirium?Delirium is a state of worse-than-usual mental confusion, brought on by some type of unusual stress on the body or mind.Its sometimes referred to as an acute confusional state because it develops fairly quickly (e.g., over hours to days), whereas mental confusion due to Alzheimers or another dementia usually develops over a long time.The key symptom of delirium is that the person develops difficulty focusing or paying attention.Delirium also often causes a variety of other cognitive symptoms, such as memory problems, language problems, disorientation, or even vivid hallucinations.

In most cases, the symptoms fluctuate, with the person appearing better at certain times and worse at other times, especially later in the day.Delirium is usually triggered by a medical illness or by the stress of hospitalization, especially if the hospitalization includes surgery and anesthesia.Its much more common than many people realize about 30% of seniors experience delirium at some point during hospitalization.That post-operative confusion that seniors often experience? Thats delirium.The way your elderly mother with dementia gets twice as confused when she has a urinary tract infection? Thats delirium, too.

Or the common phenomenon of ICU psychosis? That, too, is delirium.Differences Between Delirium and Dementia?People often confuse delirium and dementia because both conditions cause confusion and appear superficially similar.Furthermore, people with dementia are actually quite prone to developing delirium.Thats because delirium is basically a reflection of the brain going haywire when it gets overloaded by the stress of illness or toxins, and brains with dementia get overloaded more easily.

Dementia is also associated with depression, which can look similar to hypoactive delirium.1In fact, the more vulnerable a persons brain is, the less it takes to tip him or her into delirium.So, a younger person generally has to be very, very sick to become delirious.But a frail, older person with Alzheimers might become delirious just from being stressed and sleep-deprived while in the hospital.Dementia is a term used to describe changes in the brain that lead to decreased cognitive abilities.

It is most commonly caused by Alzheimers disease, but several other conditions can cause it as well, such as vitamin deficiency.2 It often occurs progressively, with symptoms worsening over time.It is caused by damaged brain cells, and very often starts with damage to the memory center of the brain.Thats why memory loss is typically the first sign of dementia.Delirium is a temporary state of being and does not progress over time.

Instead, this is one of those symptoms that occurs within a short span of time.At a glance, the issues associated with it are very similar to dementia, since it includes memory problems, hallucinations, and language difficulties.One important difference is that its a response to stress and unusual conditions, making it an important symptom to watch out for.

Delirium is a warning sign that can alert caregivers to a senior being ill or experiencing some other form of stress.Treatment for delirium versus dementia will look very different since the causes are different.Why Delirium Is Such an Important ProblemThere are three major reasons why delirium is an important problem for us all to prevent, detect, and manage.First, delirium is a sign of illness or stress on the body and mind.So, if a person becomes delirious, its important to identify the underlying problems such as an infection or untreated pain and correct them, so that the person can heal and improve.The second reason delirium is important is that a confused person is at higher risk for falls and injuries during the period of delirium.The third reason is that delirium often causes serious consequences related to health and well-being.

In the short-term, delirium increases the length of hospital stays and has been linked to a higher chance of dying during hospitalization.In the longer-term, it has been linked to worse health outcomes, such as declines in independence and even acceleration of cognitive decline.Delirium prevention can make a difference in your loved ones health.10 Things To Know About Delirium, and What You Can DoDelirium is extremely common in seniors.Almost a third of seniors experience delirium at some point during a hospitalization, with delirium being even more common in the intensive care unit, where its been found to affect 70% of patients.

Delirium is also common in rehabilitation units, with one study finding that 16% of patients were experiencing symptoms.Delirium is less common in the outpatient setting (e.g., home, assisted-living, or primary care office).But it still can occur when a senior gets sick or is affected by medications, especially if the person has dementia, such as Alzheimers disease.What to do: Learn about delirium, so that you can help your parent reduce the risk, get help quickly if needed, and better understand what to expect if your parent does develop delirium.You should be especially prepared to spot the onset of delirium if your parent or loved one is hospitalized or has a dementia diagnosis.

Dont assume this is a rare problem that probably wont affect your family.Delirium can make a person quieter.Although people often think of delirium as a state of agitation or restlessness, many older delirious people get quieter instead.This is called hypoactive delirium.Its still linked with difficulty focusing the attention, fluctuating symptoms, and worse-than-usual thinking.

Its also linked with poor outcomes.However, it may be harder for people to notice because theres little raving or restlessness to catch peoples attention, hypoactive delirium may not include easy to spot symptoms such as hallucinations.What to do: Be alert to those signs of difficulty focusing and worse-than-usual confusion, even if your parent seems quiet and isnt agitated.Tell the hospital staff if you think your parent may be having hypoactive delirium.

In the hospital, its normal for seniors to be tired or even have symptoms of depression.Its not normal for them to have a lot more difficulty than usual making sense of what you are saying.Delirium is often missed by hospital staff.Even though delirium is extremely common, it is often missed in senior patient reports.In fact, some reports estimate that it is missed 70% of the time.

Thats because busy hospital staff will have trouble realizing whether an older persons confusion is new or worse-than-usual.This is especially true for people who either look quite old in which case hospital staff may assume the patient has Alzheimers disease or have a diagnosis of dementia in their chart.What to do: You must be prepared to speak up if you notice that your parent isnt in his or her usual state of mind.Hypoactive delirium is especially easy for hospital staff to miss.

Hospitals are trying to improve delirium prevention and detection, but we all benefit when families help out.Remember, no hospital staff member knows your parent the way that you do.Delirium can be the only outward sign of a potentially life-threatening problem.Although delirium can be brought on or worsened by little things, such as sleep deprivation or untreated constipation, it can also be the sign of a very serious medical problem.For instance, older adults have been known to become delirious in response to urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and heart attacks.

In general, it tends to be older seniors with dementia who are most likely to show delirium as the only outward symptom of a very serious medical illness or disease.What to do: Again, if you notice new or worse-than-usual mental functioning, you must bring it up and get your parent medically evaluated without delay.For seniors who are at home or in assisted living, you should call the primary care doctors office so that a nurse or doctor can help you determine whether you need an urgent care visit versus an emergency room evaluation.Delirium often has multiple underlying causes.In seniors with delirium, we often end up identifying several problems that collectively might be overwhelming an older persons mental resilience.Along with serious medical illnesses, common contributors/causes include the following:Medication side effects (especially medications that are sedating or affect brain function)AnesthesiaBlood electrolyte imbalancesSleep deprivationInfectionLack of hearing aids and glassesUncontrolled pain or constipationSubstance abuse or withdrawalWhat to do: To prevent delirium, learn about common contributors, and try to avoid them or manage them proactively.

For instance, if you have a choice regarding where to hospitalize your parent, some hospitals have acute care for elders units that try to minimize sleep deprivation and other hospital-related stressors.If your parent does develop delirium, realize that there is often not a single smoking gun but a good delirium evaluation will attempt to identify and correct as many factors as possible.Delirium is diagnosed by clinical evaluation.To diagnose delirium, a doctor first has to notice or be alerted to the fact that a senior may not be in his or her usual state of mind.Experts recommend that doctors then use the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), which describes four features that doctors must assess.

Delirium can be diagnosed if a seniors symptoms include acute onset and fluctuating course, difficulty paying attention, and then either disorganized thinking or altered level of consciousness.Delirium cant be diagnosed with lab tests or scans.However, if a senior is diagnosed with delirium, doctors generally should order tests and review medications to identify factors that have caused or worsened the delirium.What to do: Again, the most important thing for you to do is to get help for your loved one if you notice worse-than-usual confusion or difficulty focusing.

Although families have historically not had a major role in delirium diagnosis, experts have developed a family version of the CAM (FAM-CAM), which is designed for non-clinicians and has been shown to help detect delirium.If a senior under stress suddenly shows signs of depression, it can be a sign of hypoactive delirium.Delirium is treated by identifying and reversing triggers and providing supportive care.Delirium treatment requires a care team to take a three-pronged approach.First, medical staff must identify and reverse the illness or problems provoking the delirium.

Second, they have to manage any agitation or restless behavior, which can be tricky, since a fair number of sedating medications can worsen delirium.Furthermore, the once-popular practice of physically restraining agitated seniors has been shown to sometimes worsen delirium and should be avoided if possible.And third, theyll need to provide general supportive care to help the brain and body recover.What to do: The reassuring presence of family is often key to providing a supportive environment that promotes recovery.

You can also help by making sure your loved one has glasses and hearing aids and by alerting the doctors if you notice pain or constipation.Ask the clinical team how you can assist if restlessness or agitation is an issue.Bear in mind that physical restraints should be avoided, as there are generally safer ways to manage agitation.It can take seniors a long time to fully recover from delirium.Most people are noticeably better within a few days once the delirium triggers have been addressed and treatment has begun.

But it can take weeks, or even months, for some seniors to fully recover.For instance, a study of senior heart surgery patients found that delirium occurred in 46% of the seniors.After six months, 40% of seniors whod had delirium still hadnt recovered their pre-hospital cognitive abilities.What to do: If your parent or someone you love is diagnosed with delirium, dont be surprised if it takes quite a while for him or her to fully recover.

Its good to be prepared to offer extra help during this period of time.You can facilitate recovery by creating a restful recuperation environment that minimizes mental stress and promotes physical well-being.Delirium has been associated with accelerated cognitive decline and developing dementia.This is unfortunate but true, especially in people who already have Alzheimers or similar dementia.A 2009 study found that in such seniors, delirium during hospitalization is linked to a much faster cognitive decline in the following year.

A 2012 study reached similar conclusions, estimating that cognition declined about twice as quickly after delirium in the hospital.In seniors who dont have dementia, studies have found that delirium increases the risk of later developing dementia.What to do: Experts arent sure what can be done to counter this unfortunate consequence of delirium, other than to try to optimize brain well-being in general.(For this, I suggest avoiding risky medications, getting enough exercise and sleep, being socially and intellectually active, and avoiding future delirium if possible.) The main thing to know is that delirium has serious consequences, so its often worth it for a family to be careful about surgery in an older person, and its good to learn about prevention (see below).Delirium is preventable, although not all cases can be prevented.Experts estimate that delirium is preventable in about 40% of cases.

Preventive strategies are meant to reduce stress and strain on an older person, and they also try to minimize triggers, such as uncontrolled pain or risky medications.In the hospital setting, programs such as the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) for Prevention of Delirium have been shown to work.The HELP website has a section for family caregivers, which includes tips on how to prevent delirium.For instance, families can help reorient a relative in the hospital, ensure that glasses and hearing aids are available, and provide a reassuring presence to counter the stress of the hospital setting.Less is known about preventing delirium in the home setting.

However, since taking anticholinergic medications (such as sedating antihistamines) has been linked with hospitalizations for confusion, you may prevent it by learning to spot risky medications your parent might be taking.What to do: To prevent hospital delirium, carefully weigh the risks and benefits before proceeding with elective surgery.If your parent must be hospitalized, choose a facility using the HELP program or with an Acute Care for Elders unit if possible.Be sure to read HELPs tips for families on preventing hospital delirium, prevention should be a priority.Remember, delirium is common and can be the only outward sign of a serious medical problem.

By educating yourself and helping your parents be proactive about prevention, you can reduce the chance of harm from this condition.If you do notice symptoms of delirium, make sure to tell the doctors! This will help your parent get the evaluation and treatment that he or she needs.What questions do you have for Dr.Leslie Kernisan about delirium in the elderly? Share them with us in the comments below.Sources:
1Dementia Information Guide.

(n.d.).Retrieved November 8, 2019, from https://www.aplaceformom.com/planning-and-advice/articles/dementia-information.
2What Is Dementia? (n.d.).Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia.Related Articles:Top 10 Reasons Seniors End Up in the ERDementia or Mental Illness?A Startling Cause of Misdiagnosed DementiaDelirium vs.

Dementia posted by Leslie Kernisan