• Der Anaesthesist · Aug 1999

    Review

    [Postoperative delirium: risk factors, prophylaxis and treatment].

    • J Gallinat, H Möller, R L Moser, and U Hegerl.
    • Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik, Freie Universität Berlin. gallinat@zedat.fu-berlin.de
    • Anaesthesist. 1999 Aug 1;48(8):507-18.

    AbstractAfter surgical operations delirium can occur as a serious and possible lethal complication in about 5-15% of patients. Additionally, risk factors such as old age, polymedication, organic and psychiatric diseases raise the incidence. After open-heart and orthopedic surgery more than half of the patients are affected. Delirium has negative effects on postoperative mobilization and reconvalescence and prolongs treatment on the ward. It is discussed in the literature that delirium may induce dementia in older patients. The correction of metabolic and electrolyte imbalances, as well as the therapy of neurologic and psychiatric diseases, belongs to prophylactic treatment. Environmental conditions which facilitate reorientation of the patient after operation have beneficial effects. Some success has been achieved by using the nootropic substance piracetam as a prophylactic. In acute treatment, the butyrophenon-neuroleptic haloperidol is the drug of choice. In delirium caused by intoxication with anticholinergic agents, physostigmin is indicated. Benzodiazepines, clonidine and clomethiazole are used in particular for the treatment of withdrawal delirium.

      Pubmed     Copy Citation     Plaintext  

      Add institutional full text...

    Notes

     
    Knowledge, pearl, summary or comment to share?
    300 characters remaining
    help        
    You can also include formatting, links, images and footnotes in your notes
    • Simple formatting can be added to notes, such as *italics*, _underline_ or **bold**.
    • Superscript can be denoted by <sup>text</sup> and subscript <sub>text</sub>.
    • Numbered or bulleted lists can be created using either numbered lines 1. 2. 3., hyphens - or asterisks *.
    • Links can be included with: [my link to pubmed](http://pubmed.com)
    • Images can be included with: ![alt text](https://bestmedicaljournal.com/study_graph.jpg "Image Title Text")
    • For footnotes use [^1](This is a footnote.) inline.
    • Or use an inline reference [^1] to refer to a longer footnote elseweher in the document [^1]: This is a long footnote..

    hide…

What will the 'Medical Journal of You' look like?

Start your free 21 day trial now.

We guarantee your privacy. Your email address will not be shared.