6
Definitions
1
➤ Delirium is a sudden change in mental status (inattention and
disorganized thinking) that develops over hours or days and has a
fluctuating course.
➤ Dementia is a significant change in cognitive performance from a
previous level of performance in one or more cognitive domains that
interferes with activities of daily living (ADL) which do not occur in
conjunction with delirium or depression.
➤ Depression is a spectrum of mood disorders characterized by a
sustained disturbance in emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or somatic
regulation that is associated with a change of previous level of
functioning or clinically significant distress.
Delirium
1. A disturbance in attention (i.e., reduced ability to direct, focus,
sustain, and shift attention) and awareness (reduced orientation to
the environment).
2. The disturbance develops over a short period of time (usually hours to a
few days), represents a change from baseline attention and awareness,
and tends to fluctuate in severity during the course of a day.
3. An additional disturbance in cognition (e.g., memory deficit,
disorientation, language, visuospatial ability, or perception).
4. The disturbances in Criteria 1 and 3 (listed above) are not
better explained by another preexisting, established, or evolving
neurocognitive disorder and do not occur in the context of a severely
reduced level of arousal, such as coma.
5. There is evidence from the history, physical examination, or
laboratory findings that the disturbance is a direct physiological
consequence of another medical condition, substance intoxication
or withdrawal (i.e., due to a drug of abuse or to a medication), or
exposure to a toxin, or is due to multiple etiologies.
