Delirium epidemiology and demographics

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vishal Khurana, M.B.B.S., M.D. [2]; Pratik Bahekar, MBBS [3]

Overview

Delirium is common in elderly, ICU settings, and nursing home.

Epidemiology and Demographics

• 30% of older patients who are hospitalized,
• 10-20% of all hospitalized adults,
• 25% of hospitalized cancer patients,
• 30%–40% of hospitalized AIDS patients,
• Up to 80% of patients with terminal illnesses develop delirium near death,
• Increased incidence is observed in the patients who have just had surgery, particularly cardiotomy, hip surgery, or a transplant, burns, dialysis, or central nervous system lesions.

Delirium in the ICU

• In intensive care units stay, incidence of delirium can be up to 80%,
• Delirium is more likely to be missed in the ICU. Physician detection rate is poor, reported sensitivity is 29%,
• More common in the emergency departments; general medical, elderly care, surgical, and oncology wards; intensive care units; and, in the community, residential and nursing homes.

Gediatric Population

• 50% of postoperative gediatric population; especially after hip fracture and vascular surgery,
• Delirium is the most common complication of hospital admission for older people.

Delirium in the community settings

Exact data in the primary health care settings is not known. Shorter hospital stays, and increasing number of day surgeries may have resulted in to increased delirium cases in the community. Less than 50 percent inpatient population recovers fully at the time of discharge.