A 79-year-old patient is brought to the ED at 7 pm from a nursing home, but we do not have the referral report and therefore do not know his history. He is disoriented in time and space. He has trouble remembering simple information. Sometimes he becomes very nervous and agitated, because he sees threatening people, even when he is alone. At other times he appears drowsy and inattentive. The main data supporting the diagnosis of delirium as opposed to dementia is:
Little to comment.... is the definition of delirium. Altered state of consciousness.
The presence of visual hallucinations.
Cognitive symptoms.
Psychomotor agitation.
Fluctuation of the alert level.
is the definition of delirium. Altered state of consciousness.