title: [Delirium in older, hospitalized patients is common and is associated with a poor outcome].
abstract: Delirium is a common neuropsychiatric complication to acute physical illness in older, hospitalized patients. It is associated with a poor outcome. The pathophysiogenesis is unknown. The neurochemical and neuroinflammatory hypotheses are supported increasingly. Short-term, low-dose haloperidole is still the best choice of treatment in controlling symptoms in hyperactive delirium, but atypical antipsychotics are probably equally efficacious. Antipsychotics also appear to have a beneficial role in hypoactive delirium, but the evidence is weak. There is a weak evidence of effect of prophylactic, non-pharmacological interventions.
authors.affiliation: Psykiatrisk Afdeling, Odense Universitetshospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C. sigurd.benjaminsen@psyk.regionsyddanmark.dk.
authors.forename: Sigurd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benjaminsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors