CHANGE IN MENTAL STATUS

Course overview

ALTERED MENTAL STATUS IS A COMMON PRESENTATION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EARLY SIGNS OF ALTERED MENTAL STATUS, IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING CAUSE, AND TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE CARE TO REDUCE PATIENT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS IS BROAD, AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS BREADTH. UNDERLYING ETIOLOGY CAN BE AS SUBTLE AS A URINARY TRACT INFECTION AND AS LIFE-THREATENING AS AN EMBOLIC OR HEMORRHAGIC STROKE. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE APPROACH TOWARD DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT PLANS FOR PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ALTERED MENTAL STATUS.