🎯 What Delirium (Acute Confusion) Is Not People, including staff, often get mixed up between delirium and dementia. They may also mistake delirium for other mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia. This is partly because some of the features of delirium can look like features present in these other conditions. But delirium is a different condition. It is distinct in several important ways from these conditions. It has a different pattern of onset, different treatment, and in many cases a rapid recovery. Dementia develops slowly over months or years. It is mainly caused by long-term brain diseases affecting the brain, and in most cases is not reversible. Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia can cause confusion or unusual thinking, including hallucinations or delusions. Yet these conditions tend to emerge gradually, over several weeks or months (though some severe episodes can come on faster). With delirium, changes happen quickly over hours to days. Another key difference is how quickly the symptoms can change in the course of delirium. People with delirium can be apparently lucid for a few minutes, but later may become very confused or agitated. This rapid fluctuation is not typical of most dementias or other longer-lasting mental illnesses, though a minority of dementias can fluctuate. It is important to know too that delirium can occur in people who already have dementia or another mental illness. When someone with dementia develops delirium this is commonly called ‘delirium superimposed on dementia’. When this happens the individual’s memory and behaviour might suddenly become worse. They may become agitated or withdrawn. ⚠️ In these cases, it is very important to recognise that delirium is a separate condition, triggered by something new, such as an infection or dehydration. Being clear about the differences between delirium and these conditions is important, including using the right terms. Dementia and other long-lasting mental health conditions usually require longer-term care with a specialist team. 🫡 Delirium, on the other hand, needs urgent medical attention to find and treat the underlying cause. Recognising delirium quickly can offer a huge advantage in your loved one’s recovery. #dementia #confused #acutecare #elderly #UTI

Mrs Smith, 78, hip fracture patient, described as "confused & aggressive" Ward round note: "?UTI. Start antibiotics." No mention of "delirium" My reaction: What about her distress - untreated pain? Dehydration? Medication review? Telling the family the diagnosis? Etc. Why we need Delirium 8 👇

Day team handover: "Bed 4 is a bit muddled." Night team discovery: patient trying to leave via the window, convinced staff are poisoning them, BP 88/57, sats 91%, obv pneumonia. "Muddled" doing a lot of heavy lifting there. #delirium