title: [Delirium in the intensive care unit :  Overview for nurses and physicians].
abstract: Delirium is a severe but frequent organ dysfunction in intensive care units (ICU) affecting nearly 80% of mechanically ventilated patients and up to 50% of non-ventilated patients. Although guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of delirium exist it often remains underdiagnosed due to the lack of implementation of these guidelines. Therefore, the chance of a positive outcome for patients can be significantly reduced. Delirium results in longer mechanical ventilation, extended hospital stay, more nosocomial infections and an increased mortality. Measures which improve the frequency of diagnosis and increase the quality of treatment will only be successful if physicians, nursing staff and other medical staff on ICUs realize strategies together and raise their awareness on delirium.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie mit Schwerpunkt operative Intensivmedizin, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luetz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Spies
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007902:Length of Stay; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011379:Prognosis; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs