Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
-
Observational Study
Impact of polypharmacy on occurrence of delirium in elderly emergency patients.
To examine associations between polypharmacy and delirium diagnosed in elderly patients hospitalized in geriatric acute care unit after emergency hospital admission. ⋯ In our study, polypharmacy is an independent risk factor for delirium in a population of elderly patients after emergency admission. In the geriatric population, delirium is an underestimated scourge and because of its medicosocial and economic consequences and its impact on morbidity and mortality, we need to give increased attention to the prevention and control of polypharmacy, which is a predisposing factor for delirium.