Confusion causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S.[2]

Overview

Confusion is a common symptom associated with various diseases and metabolic disorders. Common causes of confusion include insults to the central nervous system (CNS), metabolic disorders, and side effects of medications or illicit drugs.

Causes

Common Causes

• Alzheimer's disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Myxedema coma
• Respiratory infection
• Schizophrenia
• Sepsis
• Urinary tract infection

CausesbyOrganSystem

Cardiovascular	Aorta-pulmonaryarteryfistula, Postoperativehaemorrhage, Shock, Sicksinussyndrome
Chemical/poisoning	24-Dinitrotoluene, 44-Methylenebis, 4-Aminopyridine, AcetylsalicylicAcid, Acrylamide, AcutePesticidepoisoning, Adiponitrile, Aldicarb, Amoxicillin, Aniline, Azinphos-methyl, Aztreonam, Baneberrypoisoning, BoricAcid, Boxthornpoisoning, Bromethalin, Bromide, Bromophos, ButylAlcohol, Camphor, Carbaryl, CarbonTetrachloride, Chlordane, Chloromethane, Chlorpyrifos, ChristmasCherrypoisoning, Cocaineabuse, Cocaineaddiction, CornLilypoisoning, Coumaphos, Crackaddiction, Cresols, Cresylicacid, Cyanogenicglycoside, Cyclohexanone, DDD, DDT, Demeton-S-methyl, Devil'strumpetpoisoning, Diazinon, Dibromochloromethane, Dichlorvos, Dicrotophos, Dieldrin, DiethyleneGlycol, Digitalisglycoside, Dinitrocresol, Dioxathion, Disulfiram, Disulfoton, Ecstasyaddiction, Endosulfan, Ethion, EthyleneGlycolDinitrate, Fensulfothion, Fenthion, Foxglovepoisoning, Gasoline, Glaze, GlycolEther, Heroindependence, HighMeltingExplosive(HMX), Hydrazine, Hydroquinone, Hydroquinone, Interferongamma, Isofenphos, JetFuel-4, JetFuel-5, Jimsonweed(Daturastramonium), Kentuckycoffeeteapoisoning, Kerosene, KingCobrapoisoning, Leadpoisoning, Lobeline, LysergicAcidDiethylamide, Malathion, Marijuanaabuse, Mercurypoisoning, Methidathion, Methiocarb, Methomyl, Metobromuron, Monkshoodpoisoning, Morphine, Mustardtreepoisoning, Naphthalene, Narcoticaddiction, NickelCarbonyl, Nitrobenzene, Nitroglycerin, Nitrophenol, NitrophenolUrea, NN-Dimethyl-P-Toluidine, Oil-basedpaint, Oleanderpoisoning, Opioid, Oxycodoneaddiction, Parathion, Phencyclidine, Phosdrin, Phosphine, potato(Solanumtuberosum), Profenofos, Propane, Propoxur, PropyleneGlycolDinitrate, Potassiumiodide, Snakebite, Terbufos, Tetrachloroethane, TetraethylPyrophosphate, Thallium, Thalliumpoisoning, ThalliumSulfate, Thiram, Toluene, Trichlorfon, Zolpidemwithdrawal
Dermatologic	Nounderlyingcauses
DrugSideEffect	Aldesleukin, Alprazolam, Amobarbitalsodium, Anticholinergicsyndrome, Apomorphinehydrochloride, Atropine, Bicalutamide, Butorphanol, CarbidopaandLevodopa, Cefaclor, Colchicine, Cope'ssyndrome, Cycloserine, Dextromethorphan, Ethambutol, Fentanyl, Gallium nitrate, Imipramine, Meropenem, Methocarbamol, Mitomycin, Nabilone, Nelarabine, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Oxaprozin, Pergolide, Phenytoin, Propanol, Secobarbitalsodium, SerotoninSyndrome, Teniposide, Tolterodine , Tramadol
EarNoseThroat	Nounderlyingcauses
Endocrine	Adrenalcrisis, Cushingsyndrome, Hashimoto'sencephalitis, Hyperinsulinism, Hyperparathyroidism, Insulinoma, SIADH, WDHAsyndrome
Environmental	Dysbarism, Highaltitudecerebraledema
Gastroenterologic	Cirrhosisoftheliver, Crigler-Najjarsyndrometype1, EndStageLiverFailure, Liverfailure
Genetic	Congenitalhepaticporphyria, Congenitalnonhemolyticjaundice
Hematologic	Anemia, Bing-Neelsyndrome, Leukemia, MultipleMyeloma, Plasmacellleukemia, Thromboticthrombocytopenicpurpura
Iatrogenic	Hyperbaricoxygen
InfectiousDisease	Acanthamoebainfection, Actinomycetalesinfection, AcuteBokhoror, AcuteDisseminatedEncephalomyelitis, AfricanSleepingsickness, Bolivianhemorrhagicfever, Brill-Zinsserdisease, Bubonicplague, CryptococcalMeningitis, Cryptococcosis, Cysticercosis, Ehrlichiosis, Epidemictyphus, Flea-bornediseases, Fungalmeningitis, Granulomatousamebicencephalitis, HIV/AIDS, Legionnaires'disease, Listeriosis, LymphocyticChoriomeningitis, Lysteriamonocytoigenesesmeningitis, Machupovirus, Malaria, Marburgvirus, MeaslesEncephalitis, Melioidosis, Meningitis, Meningococcaldisease, Naegleria, Neurocysticercosis, Neurosyphilis, Nipahvirusencephalitis, Nocardiosis, Paratyphoidfever, PediatricAIDS, Postoperativesepticaemia, Primaryamebicmeningoencephalitis, Rabies, RockyMountainspottedfever, Tick-borneencephalitis, Toxemia, ToxicShockSyndrome, Toxoplasmosis, Trypanosomiasis, Yellowfever, Waterhouse-Friderichsensyndrome
Musculoskeletal/Ortho	Nounderlyingcauses
Neurologic	Acutemountainsickness, Agingbrainsyndrome, Alzheimerdisease, Anoxemia, Arbovirosis, Argentineanhemorrhagicfever, Basilararteryinsufficiencysyndrome, Benignastrocytoma, Berryaneurysm, Braininfection, Bristowe'ssyndrome, Centralnervoussysteminfections, Centralnervoussystemlymphomaprimary, Cerebellarabscess, Cerebralabscess, Classicmigraine, Creutzfeldt-JakobDisease, Disequilibriumsyndrome, Grandmalepilepsy, Grandmalseizures, Leukoencephalopathy, Limbicencephalitis, Multi-InfarctDementia, Priondiseases, Stroke, Subduralhematoma, Sundownsyndrome, TransientIschemicAttack, Uremicencephalopathy, Wernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome, Wernicke'sencephalopathy
Nutritional/Metabolic	Aceruloplasminemia, Acid-BaseImbalance, Acuteliverfailure, Alcoholdrinking, AlcoholWithdrawal, AlcoholicNeuropathy, Azotemiafamilial, Burnett'smilkdrinker'ssyndrome, Carnitinetransporterdeficiency, Citrullinemia, CoenzymeQcytochromecreductasedeficiency, Dehydration, Diabetichypoglycemia, DiabeticKetoacidosis, Dilutionalhyponatremia, Dobrinersyndrome, Folatedeficiency, Graeck-Imerslunddisease, HyperglycemicHyperosmolarNonketoticSyndrome, HypervitaminosesAandD, Hypoglycemia, Hypothermia, Hypovolemia, Inbornureacycledisorder, MetabolicAcidosis, Metabolicencephalopathy, Milk-Alkalisyndrome, N-acetylglutamatesynthetasedeficiency, Nutritionaldeficiency, Ornithinetranscarbamylase(OTC)Deficiency, Pellagra, Pyridoxinedeficiency, Qfever, Respiratoryacidosis, Respiratoryalkalosis, Reye'sSyndrome, UreaCycleDisorders, WaterIntoxication
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Acutefattyliverofpregnancy, HyperemesisGravidarum
Oncologic	Nounderlyingcauses
Opthalmologic	Nounderlyingcauses
Overdose/Toxicity	Alprazolamoverdose, Appian-Plutarchsyndrome, Darvocetoverdose, Demeroloverdose, Dexedrineoverdose, Dilaudidoverdose, Ecstasyoverdose, Hydrocodoneoverdose, Lorazepamoverdose, Lortaboverdose, Methadoneoverdose, Methamphetamineoverdose, Ritalinoverdose, Vicodinoverdose, Zolpidemoverdose
Psychiatric	BriefPsychoticDisorder, DissociativeAmnesia, Dissociativedisorder, DissociativeIdentityDisorder, NonaffectivePsychosis, Schizoaffectivedisorder
Pulmonary	Postoperativerespiratoryfailure, Respiratorydepression
Renal/Electrolyte	Chronicrenalinsufficiency, End-stagerenaldisease, Hypercalcemia, Hypomagnesemia, Hyponatremia, Hypophosphatemia, Kidneyfailure
Rheum/Immune/Allergy	AntiphospholipidSyndrome, AutoimmuneHepatitis, Autoimmunelimbicencephalitis, Neurosarcoidosis
Sexual	Nounderlyingcauses
Trauma	Concussion, Headinjury, TraumaticBrainInjury
Urologic	Nounderlyingcauses
Dental	Nounderlyingcauses
Miscellaneous	Nounderlyingcauses

Causes in Alphabetical Order

24-Dinitrotoluene 44-Methylenebis 4-Aminopyridine Acanthamoeba infection Aceruloplasminemia Acetylsalicylic Acid Acid-Base Imbalance Acrylamide Actinomycetales infection Acute Bokhoror Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Acute fatty liver of pregnancy Acute liver failure Acute mountain sickness Acute Pesticide poisoning Adiponitrile Adrenal crisis African Sleeping sickness Aging brain syndrome Alcohol drinking Alcohol Withdrawal Alcoholic Neuropathy Aldicarb Alprazolam overdose Alzheimer disease Amoxicillin Aniline Anoxemia Anticholinergic syndrome Antiphospholipid Syndrome Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula Apomorphine hydrochloride Appian-Plutarch syndrome Arbovirosis Argentinean hemorrhagic fever Autoimmune Hepatitis Autoimmune limbic encephalitis Azinphos-methyl Azotemia familial Aztreonam Baneberry poisoning Basilar artery insufficiency syndrome Benign astrocytoma Berry aneurysm Bing-Neel syndrome Bolivian hemorrhagic fever Boric Acid Box thorn poisoning Brain infection Brief Psychotic Disorder Brill-Zinsser disease Bristowe's syndrome Bromethalin Bromide Bromophos Bubonic plague Burnett's milk drinker's syndrome Butorphanol Butyl Alcohol Camphor Carbaryl Carbon Tetrachloride Carnitine transporter deficiency Central nervous system infections Central nervous system lymphoma primary Cerebellar abscess Cerebral abscess Chlordane Chloromethane Chlorpyrifos Christmas Cherry poisoning Chronic renal insufficiency Cirrhosis of the liver Citrullinemia Classic migraine Cocaine abuse Cocaine addiction Coenzyme Q cytochrome c reductase deficiency Colchicine toxicity Concussion Congenital hepatic porphyria Congenital nonhemolytic jaundice Cope's syndrome Corn Lily poisoning Coumaphos Crack addiction Cresols Cresylic acid Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Crigler-Najjar syndrome type 1 Cryptococcal Meningitis Cryptococcosis Cushing syndrome Cyanogenic glycoside Cyclohexanone Cycloserine Cysticercosis Daphne poisoning Darvocet overdose DDD DDT Dehydration Demerol overdose Demeton-S-methyl Devil's trumpet poisoning Dexedrine overdose Dextromethorphan toxicity

Diabetic hypoglycemia Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diazinon Dibromochloromethane Dichlorvos Dicrotophos Dieldrin Diethylene Glycol Digitalis glycoside Dilaudid overdose Dilutional hyponatremia Dinitrocresol Dioxathion Disequilibrium syndrome Dissociative Amnesia Dissociative disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder Disulfiram Disulfoton Dobriner syndrome Dysbarism Ecstasy addiction Ecstasy overdose Ehrlichiosis End Stage Liver Failure Endosulfan End-stage renal disease Epidemic typhus Epidermoid carcinoma Ethion Ethylene Glycol Dinitrate Fensulfothion Fentanyl toxicity Fenthion Flea-borne diseases Folate deficiency Foxglove poisoning Fungal meningitis Gasoline Glaze Glycol Ether Graeck-Imerslund disease Grand mal epilepsy Grand mal seizures Granulomatous amebic encephalitis Hashimoto's encephalitis Head injury Heroin dependence High altitude cerebral edema High Melting Explosive (HMX) HIV/AIDS Hydrazine Hydrocodone overdose Hydroquinone Hydroquinone Hyperbaric oxygen Hypercalcemia Hyperemesis Gravidarum Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome Hyperinsulinism Hyperparathyroidism Hypervitaminoses A and D Hypoglycemia Hypomagnesemia Hyponatremia Hypophosphatemia Hypothermia Hypovolemia Impramine toxicity Inborn urea cycle disorder Insulinoma Interferon gamma Isofenphos Jet Fuel-4 Jet Fuel-5 Jimsonweed (Daturastramonium) Kentucky coffee tea poisoning Kerosene Kidney failure King Cobra poisoning Lead poisoning Legionnaires' disease Leukemia Leukoencephalopathy Limbic encephalitis Listeriosis Liver failure Lobeline Lorazepam overdose Lortab overdose Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Lysteria monocytoigeneses meningitis Machupo virus Malaria Malathion Marburg virus Marijuana abuse Measles Encephalitis Melioidosis Meningitis Meningococcal disease Mercury poisoning Metabolic Acidosis Metabolic encephalopathy

Methadone overdose Methamphetamine overdose Methidathion Methiocarb Methomyl Metobromuron Milk-Alkali syndrome Monkshood poisoning Morphine toxicity Multi-Infarct Dementia Multiple Myeloma Mustard tree poisoning Nabilone N-acetyl glutamate synthetase deficiency Naegleria Naphthalene Narcotic addiction Neurocysticercosis Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Neurosarcoidosis Neurosyphilis Nickel Carbonyl Nipah virus encephalitis Nitrobenzene Nitroglycerin Nitrophenol Nitrophenol Urea NN-Dimethyl-P-Toluidine Nocardiosis Nonaffective Psychosis Nutritional deficiency Oil-based paint Oleander poisoning Opioid toxicity Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency Oxycodone addiction Parathion Paratyphoid fever Pediatric AIDS Pellagra Pergolide Phencyclidine Phenytoin toxicity Phosdrin Phosphine Plague Plasma cell leukemia Postoperative haemorrhage Postoperative respiratory failure Postoperative septicaemia potato(Solanumtuberosum) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis Prion diseases Profenofos Propane Propanol Propoxur Propylene Glycol Dinitrate Pyridoxine deficiency Q fever Rabies Respiratory acidosis Respiratory alkalosis Respiratory depression Reye's Syndrome Ritalin overdose Rocky Mountain spotted fever Schizoaffective disorder Serotonin Syndrome Shock SIADH Sick sinus syndrome Snake bite Stroke Subdural hematoma Sundown syndrome Terbufos Tetrachloroethane Tetraethyl Pyrophosphate Thallium Thallium poisoning Thallium Sulfate Thiram Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura Tick-borne encephalitis Tolterodine toxicity Toluene Toxemia Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxoplasmosis Tramadol toxicity Transient Ischemic Attack Traumatic Brain Injury Trichlorfon Trypanosomiasis Urea Cycle Disorders Uremic encephalopathy Vicodin overdose Water Intoxication Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome WDHA syndrome Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome Wernicke's encephalopathy Yellow fever Zolpidem overdose Zolpidem withdrawal