DIFFERENTIATING DELIRIUM VERSUS DEMENTIA IN THE ELDERLY

Course overview

DELIRIUM AND DEMENTIA ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ALTERED MENTAL STATUS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS. WITH DEMENTIA BEING ONE OF THE PREDISPOSING FACTORS FOR DELIRIUM, OFTEN THE TWO COEXIST, AND SOMETIMES WHEN THE DEMENTIA IS RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO IN PATIENTS WITHOUT A PRIOR HISTORY OF DEMENTIA. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DELIRIUM AND DEMENTIA.