Delirium and Dementia

Course overview

Delirium and dementia are the most common causes of cognitive changes in people as they age, but their separate effects, relationship, and interface are often poorly understood. Delirium is characterized by confusion, disorientation, affective and thought disturbances. Dementia involves changes in memory, thought processes, and social skills, and can severely impair quality of life. It is important for clinicians to be able to differentiate between the diagnosis of delirium and dementia and to determine the proper treatment. Advanced age by itself does not cause a decrease in cognitive and intellectual ability, and neither delirium nor dementia is an inevitable consequence of aging. Many complex factors contribute to the development of delirium and dementia, influencing the prognosis, treatment, and outcomes of a patient.