COGNITIVE DISORDERS AND DELIRIUM (PDQ) HEALTH PROFESSIONAL VERSION (2 CE)

Course overview

The clinical presentation of cognitive disorders and delirium is associated with a high level of distress in patients, family members, and health care personnel. Delirium is associated with a high burden of symptom distress, particularly in relation to delusions, perceptual disturbances, and psychomotor agitation. Incontinence, falls, failure to maintain adequate hydration, a prolonged hospital stay, and death are more likely to occur in the patient with delirium. Dysfunctional cognition in the delirious patient hinders communication between patient and family and between patient and health care personnel. As a result, reliable symptom assessment, counseling, and active patient participation in the therapeutic decision-making process are all compromised. This course will focus on the epidemiology and management of this process. Learning Objectives: 1. Delineate the characteristics of Delirium - disordered awareness, attention and cognition. 2. Specify the core clinical criteria for a diagnosis of Delirium-a disturbance of consciousness with reduced clarity of awareness and attention deficit; acuity of onset and fluctuation over the course of a day; the presence of an underlying cause such as a general medication condition. 3. Distinguish the three different subtypes of Delirium - hypoactive, hyperactive, mixed, with both hypoactive and hyperactive features.