What it means
An acute disturbance of attention and thinking. It starts suddenly, over hours to days, and gets better and worse during the day, often worse at night. The person may be agitated, or quiet and sleepy (which is easy to miss). It has a cause, such as infection, drugs, dehydration, low oxygen, surgery or alcohol withdrawal, and it usually clears when the cause is treated. This sudden start is what sets it apart from dementia, which develops slowly.
For the nurse
Report a sudden change in mental status. Look for causes (check vital signs, oxygen, glucose, recent drugs, signs of infection). Help orientation with clocks, glasses and hearing aids, a regular sleep routine, family visits and early walking.
In a chart
"Client oriented yesterday, now pulling at IV and unable to follow commands; provider notified."
At a glance
| Spanish | delirio |
|---|---|
| Also written | delirious, acute confusion |
Related terms
dehydration
A state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in.
Alzheimer disease
A brain disease that slowly destroys memory, thinking and the ability to do everyday tasks.
mental status
A person's state of mind at a given time: how alert they are, what they know and how they think, speak and behave.