Anatomy & Pathophysiology
Dementia Types & Etiology
Clinical Presentation
Role of the Nurse
Delirium vs. Dementia
100

A build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles causes damage in this specific disease.

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

100

Changes to the brain's blood vessels, which disrupt the oxygen supply to brain cells, are the cause of this type of dementia?

What is Vascular Dementia?

100

This is the most common initial manifestation of dementia

What is memory loss?

100

For a client with dementia, the nurse's focus is client safety, independence, quality of life, and reduction of this strain.

What is caregiver strain?

100

Delirium develops over a period of hours to days, whereas similar cognitive changes in dementia occur over this longer period of time.

What are months to years?

200

Deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein blocking communication between neurons is the pathophysiology of this specific type of dementia.

What is Lewy Body Dementia?

200

This type of dementia is characterized by manifestations of more than one other type? 

What is Mixed Dementia?

200

Dementia is described as a gradual decline in cognitive processes, but NOT a decline in this.

What is the level of consciousness (LOC)?

200

This is a safety concern that a nurse should inform a family about because it can be an early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease.

What is wandering?

200

A high or low level of this lab value can contribute to the manifestations of delirium.

What is electrolytes (e.g., potassium) or blood glucose?

300

This occurs when injury or physiological changes within the brain cause damage, making it difficult for signals to be sent to and from the brain

What is Dementia? 

300

This non-modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is associated with early-onset (familial) Alzheimer's, which is considered rare.

What is genetics?

300

An agitated and restless state that starts in the late afternoon or evening and often continues into the night, common in clients with Alzheimer’s.

What is sundowning?

300

The nurse caring for a client with Alzheimer's disease should educate the client and family that the goal of medication therapy is to do this to the disease.

What is slow the progression of the disease?

300

This is the underlying cause of the symptoms of delirium, often due to a lack of hemoglobin transport or blockage of the brain's access to or metabolism of it.

What is a lack of oxygen to the brain?

400

This may be traced back to a lack of oxygen in the brain.  

What is Delirium? 

400

This rare form of dementia affects the frontal and temporal lobes, causing changes in behavior, language, and emotions, and is often seen in clients less than 60 years old?

What is Frontotemporal Dementia?

400

Typical Clinical Manifestations of Alzheimer's Disease? 

What is agitation, aggression, depression, restlessness, sundowning, and wandering behaviors 

400

The nurse can help prevent relocation stress syndrome by doing this prior to a move and providing education.

What is informing the client about the need to move?

400

Hospitalization in the ICU increases the risk of delirium, as 15% to 50% of hospitalized clients and a high number of clients in the ICU experience this condition.

What is delirium?

500

Name two Domains of Cognitive Function? 

What is Executive Functions, Language, Social Cognition/Emotions, Attention/Concentration, Learning/Memory and Visuospatial/Motor Function.

500

The nurse should be concerned about vascular dementia if the client has a history of this event, which causes changes in the blood vessels of the brain

What is a stroke?

500

Name at least five clinical manifestations of Delirium

What is changes in the client’s level of consciousness and perception, confusion and disorientation, disorganized thinking and speech, anger, agitation, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, delusions, difficulty with memory recall and concentrating, and changes in sleep patterns. 

500

Which assessment instrument should the nurse use to aid in the diagnosis of delirium?

What is Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit 

500

Unlike dementia, which is progressive, the manifestations of delirium are considered to be this if the underlying cause is identified and treated quickly and effectively.

What is reversible?