Delirium Stats
Diagnostic Criteria
Delirium or Dementia?
Assessment Tools
Risk/Treatment
100

Up to 40% of delirium cases are ____. 

What is preventable?

100

True of False: Delirium's hallmark symptoms are changes in attention and word salad. 

What is False. 

Changes in attention and awareness are the hallmark symptoms of delirium.

100

This type of cognitive change is caused by long-term degeneration of brain tissue. 

What is Dementia?

100

This tool measures delirium severity. 

What is the Delirium Severity Scale?

100

______ is one thing that can increase risk for delirium in older patients. 

What is surgery/anesthesia, sedatives, psychoactive meds, dementia, vision impairment, advanced age, alcohol use, polypharmacy, use of restraints.

200

Delirium goes unrecognized by clinicians ____% of the time.

A. 40%  B. 50%  C. 70%  D. 90%

What is 70%?

200

True or False: Delirium typically develops over a period of months to years.

What is False.


Delirium develops over hours to a few days.

200

This type of cognitive change is caused by a medical condition, drugs/medications, or other combination of acute causes. 

What is Delirium?

200
This is the most commonly used assessment tool to establish the presence of delirium.

What is the Confusion Assessment Method?

200

True or false: There is no definitive laboratory test for delirium.

What is True?

300

This progressive condition increases the risk for delirium on hospital admission by 2-5 times.

What is Dementia?

300

Other than acute illness and infection, this is another common cause of delirium. 

What are Substances or Drugs/Medications?
300

Mrs. Jones, 81, presents to her annual check-up. Her family has not noticed acute changes in her condition. Her MoCA last year was 16, and this year it is 14 (both moderately impaired). Her primary diagnosis is _______. 

What is Dementia.

300

This is a tool that can be completed by informal caregivers and can alert them to the presence of delirium.  

What is the Family Confusion Assessment Method?
300

What does the acronym HELP stand for in relation to delirium?

Hospital Elder Life Program

400

Delirium contributes to up to $164 Billion in extra medical costs, increased usage of rehab and home health services, and higher rates of ________.

What is Institutionalization? 

400
This essential part of the assessment may provide important details about the timeline of symptoms, previous occurrences, etc., and may help to distinguish delirium from other psych disorders. 

What is the History. 

400

Mr. Smith has MCI (mild cognitive impairment) with a baseline MoCA score of 23 one month ago. Today he presented to the ED for erratic behavior, and his MoCA score is 8. What is the most likely to be diagnosed with?

What is Delirium?

400

This assessment tool has been adapted for multiple settings including ICU, emergency departments, and nursing homes.

What is the Confusion Assessment Method?

400

True or False: People with delirium should lay in bed until they recover.

What is False?

500
Patients who have delirium on admission to a post-acute care setting have a 5-fold increased risk of what?

What is 6-month mortality

500

True or False: To diagnose delirium, there must be evidence from the history, exam, or lab work that connects the disturbance to another medical condition, substance, toxin, or multiple other etiologies.

What is True.


Delirium is always caused by something else. 

500

Mr. Cook resides in a memory care unit. Yesterday, he began hallucinating, striking caregivers, and by evening settled into a stupor with impaired communication. His MoCA last year was 3 (severely impaired). Which diagnoses are most appropriate?

What is Dementia and Delirium?

500
The number of languages the Confusion Assessment Method has been translated into. 

What is 12?

500

A delirious patient may benefit from which therapeutic techniques?

What is reorientation, activity, mobilization, medication reductions, adequate sleep, adequate nutrition/hydration,