Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention
Delirium is a significant neuropsychiatric complication in intensive care unit (ICU) settings, characterized by acute disturbances in attention, awareness, and cognition. The incidence ranges from 30% to 80% among critically ill patients, with the highest rates observed in mechanically ventilated in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | APIK Journal of Internal Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajim.ajim_28_25 |
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| author | Shibu Sasidharan Harpreet Dhillon |
| author_facet | Shibu Sasidharan Harpreet Dhillon |
| author_sort | Shibu Sasidharan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Delirium is a significant neuropsychiatric complication in intensive care unit (ICU) settings, characterized by acute disturbances in attention, awareness, and cognition. The incidence ranges from 30% to 80% among critically ill patients, with the highest rates observed in mechanically ventilated individuals. This syndrome is associated with substantial increases in mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval 1.78–2.70), extended ICU and hospital lengths of stay, and persistent cognitive impairment affecting up to 70% of survivors at 1-year follow-up. Recent evidence has established delirium as an independent predictor of long-term cognitive dysfunction, comparable to moderate traumatic brain injury or mild Alzheimer’s disease. This comprehensive review examines the current understanding of the pathophysiology, risk stratification approaches, evidence-based diagnostic methods, preventive interventions, and management strategies for ICU delirium. Addressing this syndrome through systematic multicomponent interventions represents an essential aspect of critical care medicine with significant implications for patient outcomes and healthcare resource utilization. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34863c3076ef4af7a19ff4ffb67cd329 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-1802 2666-1810 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | APIK Journal of Internal Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-34863c3076ef4af7a19ff4ffb67cd3292025-08-20T03:31:41ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAPIK Journal of Internal Medicine2666-18022666-18102025-07-0113316116810.4103/ajim.ajim_28_25Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and PreventionShibu SasidharanHarpreet DhillonDelirium is a significant neuropsychiatric complication in intensive care unit (ICU) settings, characterized by acute disturbances in attention, awareness, and cognition. The incidence ranges from 30% to 80% among critically ill patients, with the highest rates observed in mechanically ventilated individuals. This syndrome is associated with substantial increases in mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval 1.78–2.70), extended ICU and hospital lengths of stay, and persistent cognitive impairment affecting up to 70% of survivors at 1-year follow-up. Recent evidence has established delirium as an independent predictor of long-term cognitive dysfunction, comparable to moderate traumatic brain injury or mild Alzheimer’s disease. This comprehensive review examines the current understanding of the pathophysiology, risk stratification approaches, evidence-based diagnostic methods, preventive interventions, and management strategies for ICU delirium. Addressing this syndrome through systematic multicomponent interventions represents an essential aspect of critical care medicine with significant implications for patient outcomes and healthcare resource utilization.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajim.ajim_28_25confusion assessment methoddeliriumintensive care unit |
| spellingShingle | Shibu Sasidharan Harpreet Dhillon Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention APIK Journal of Internal Medicine confusion assessment method delirium intensive care unit |
| title | Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention |
| title_full | Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention |
| title_fullStr | Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention |
| title_short | Shadows in the Mind: Navigating Intensive Care Unit Delirium and Prevention |
| title_sort | shadows in the mind navigating intensive care unit delirium and prevention |
| topic | confusion assessment method delirium intensive care unit |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajim.ajim_28_25 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shibusasidharan shadowsinthemindnavigatingintensivecareunitdeliriumandprevention AT harpreetdhillon shadowsinthemindnavigatingintensivecareunitdeliriumandprevention |