Delirium is an important problem confronting health services in ageing societies. It complicates many illnesses and procedures in old age, and is associated with high rates of mortality and distress. However, little is known about the prevalence and pathogenesis of delirium, and reliable means of detection, management and prevention have yet to be developed. In the elderly delirium is often "quiet", and may be undetected, or mis-diagnosed as dementia, with the result that important opportunities for detection and treatment ...
Read More
Delirium is an important problem confronting health services in ageing societies. It complicates many illnesses and procedures in old age, and is associated with high rates of mortality and distress. However, little is known about the prevalence and pathogenesis of delirium, and reliable means of detection, management and prevention have yet to be developed. In the elderly delirium is often "quiet", and may be undetected, or mis-diagnosed as dementia, with the result that important opportunities for detection and treatment of the underlying causes are lost. This book reviews what is known about delirium in the elderly. It aims to be both a guide for practitioners, and a stimulus for further research.
Read Less