title: Delirium in acute stroke.
abstract: Delirium is the presenting feature in a few stroke patients, but can complicate the clinical course of acute stroke in up to 48% of cases. Old age, extensive motor impairment, previous cognitive decline, metabolic and infectious complications, and sleep apnoea are all predisposing conditions for delirium. Patients with delirium have longer hospitalizations and a poorer prognosis, and are at increased risk of developing dementia. The identification of the patients at risk and non-pharmacological preventative interventions are the key measures in the management of delirium.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal. jmferro@ip.pt
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caeiro
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verdelho
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003693:Delirium / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology